Making Ends Meet
by GirlAnime
Summary: AU. Makino Tsukushi is freshly out of college, still spunky and...out of a job? Between losing her apartment, seeing her family off to a new town and hunting for a new job is there even a moment of peace?
1. Chpt 1 My Luck Is The Worst!

Wow, it's been FOREVER since I've attempted fan-fiction. At any rate, this is a Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) AU (alternate universe) fan-fic! Stick with me here as I've just barely gotten the storyline together myself. Obviously there will be tie-overs with the manga but hopefully nothing that would spoil the manga for you if you've not read all of it

I'm thinking the setting of this will have to end up being Japan (was thinking about putting it to somewhere in the states). That being said, please know that while I love Japanese culture I know very little in reality. If you see something's off and wish to bring it to my attention feel free to review me or e-mail me. I'm very open to feedback as I would like to increase my writing capabilities. So please, review if you would as I eat comments up like cookies! I'll try to crank out chapters whenver it's possible and hopefully if I'm lucky, people will like it !

**Note:** I'm not sure what the rating on ths will be so for now I'm going to rate it pretty strictly as R. I have a vague idea of what happens but we'll see how it goes.

UPDATE AS OF 2-10-06- I've tried to go back and correct some of my grammatical mistakes in this as it was driving me crazy. So hopefully I've gotten them all out ;)

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_**Obligatory Disclaimer:** I don't own Hana Yori Dango, Yoko Kamio does and I love her for creating it_

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Making Ends Meet

Chapter 1: My Luck Is The Worst!

_Great. Just freakin' great._ Tsukushi thought to herself as she stomped along the crowded side-walk. Not more than 3 hours ago had she been having a business lunch with the boss of Tanaka Industries and things had been going smoothly…well, until her mother had burst through the door that is. Among mistaking her boss for a secret lover of Tsukushi's, her mother had also assumed Tsukushi was still dating Junpei Oribe; a rather notorious model who took a passing interest in Tsukushi at one time. She made sure to do this so audibly that everyone in the restaurant could hear her. As untrue as this was, her boss didn't seem to believe her profuse apologies and denials of such statements made by her mother, even after managing to calm her down and set her straight.

"The damage was already done from last week so I suppose it's no big surprise they were looking to fire me." Tsukushi muttered to herself as she stepped on the train remembering last week's incident with Mr. Kunisawa. _Mr. Amon Kunisawa_. Tsukushi remembered lividly. Albeit devastatingly handsome, Mr. Kunisawa was, in short, a jerk. From demeaning remarks to completely absurd requests, he had pestered almost every woman in the Tanaka Industries building either into bed with him or into a nervous breakdown. When he decided to give Tsukushi a derogatory slap on the buttocks was when Tsukushi decided to use brute force to knock some sense into him.

…_And that's where it started to go bad._ Tsukushi stepped off the train and glanced around nonchalantly. She tried to begin justifying getting fired. _At least I wouldn't have to deal with that jackass anymore._ Sadly, the hitting incident had been right in front of her supervisor and last she checked, hitting one of your co-workers into your superior who as a result crashed into the expensive, brand-new copier, didn't exactly bode well.

Tsukushi wobbled her head around and squared her shoulders as she neared her apartment complex. She was hoping to never have to ask the landlord for any leniency, however in light of being fired she had little choice lest she suddenly acquire the ability to lay golden eggs. Deciding that this ability would most certainly not show up in this lifetime, she stood herself in front of the landlord's office and rapped on the door politely.

"Come in," an unfamiliar voice responded abruptly.

"Mrs. Sugoshi?" Tsukushi peered into the small office. She was surprised to find that instead of Mrs. Sugoshi, a small pleasant older lady, she found a pair of emotionless eyes staring through a slim set of spectacles back at her. "Um, where's Mrs. Sugoshi?"

"She's currently in her quarters packing all her belongings. Are you one of her former tenants?" The scrutinizing man asked and stared at Tsukushi with a mix of disdain and arrogance.

"Yes but what do you mean former?" As Tuskushi stood in the once warm and inviting office she noticed that all personal effects had been removed from the desk at which Mrs. Sugoshi had once kept many photograhs upon. Not only the desk, Tsukushi noted, but also from around the entire room. Everything was barren and empty looking as if it had been cleared out by a whirlwind.

"Mrs. Sugoshi's mortgage was bought out at the bank and we're the company representatives sent to clear out the premises. This being the time for rent, it's much easier for us to inform all former tenants that they have until Friday to move all personal effects off the property before deconstruction will begin." Pressing his glasses closer to his face the man returned to his reading of paperwork, which Tsukushi had noticed he was reading with mild annoyance. Or perhaps it was her he was reacting to with annoyance. Either way at this point she couldn't discern one thing from another that involved anyone other than her. Within the same day she had managed to get fired and lose her place of residency, how unlucky could you get?

"But surely Ms. Sugoshi wasn't behind in her mortgage payments. I remember she had to take out a mortgage to refurbish some of the apartments but nothing that would have put her behind so-"

"What was your name miss…?" For the first time the man actually looked Tsukushi in the eyes.

"Er, Makino, Tsukushi Makino." She replied, with shivers running down her spine as she uttered each syllable of her name. The man at the desk sifted through a folder and stopped upon a document containing a picture of the woman standing before him.

"Ah yes, Ms. Tsukushi Makino, age 23, single, idealistic and stubborn as a rock." He read off in a slightly flat voice. "The researcher said you might be a problem tenant to move out. Ms. Sugoshi's financial situation is a business matter best left to the businessmen to take care of. You should be grateful at what I've divulged already." The man quickly shuffled through some papers in a separate folder and pulled out a business card and stood up from his barricade of the small desk and paperwork he had been reviewing. "If you have any complaints you can take it up with the company that this transaction has taken place with." He thrust out a business card, which Tsukushi reluctantly took and examined in disbelief.

"…Doumyoji Enterprises?" Tsukushi blinked. If she was correct this was one, if not **_the_**, largest companies in Japan.

"Nishida, could you show Ms. Makino out of our office as I'm sure she has a lot of packing to do between now and tomorrow." The man with glasses said as he strolled back to his desk.

Suddenly Tsukushi became aware of a man in a black business suit standing behind her to her left, positioned conveniently beside the door that led into the office. The man named Nishida simply nodded and gracefully but firmly escorted Tsukushi out of the office and shut the door behind her.

Tsukushi, still in quite a shock, moved her feet towards her designated apartment with her feet feeling like lead every step of the way. She couldn't believe her misfortune sometimes. Did other people have these problems or was it just her uncanny ability to have one tragic event after another follow her?

As she closed the door to her apartment she could feel the anger welling up within her. Remove shoes; three steps, remove jacket; five steps, place keys on counter; ten steps, open fire escape door; 2 steps onto pseudo-balcony, breath in and out. As she breathed in the muggy afternoon air she thought firmly of what she would've like to have said to all the people she was angry at for her circumstances. Amon Kunisawa, Shiro Tanaka, that guy on the train who almost grabbed her ass, the guys in Mrs. Sugoshi's office who had been so abrupt with her, the Doumyoji Corporation, she thought of all these people….

…and proceeded to yell her raw feelings out into the back alleyway with all the heart she had.


	2. Chpt 2 Sleeping, Trains and Laughter

Wow, such quick reviews! sniff I feel so loved! Thank you to Chew Chew, LokiGirl, Gentileschi and Az09. This story is plaguing my brain so I'll probably be churning out this story when my school schedule allows. Wish I could say it'll be an update a week or something as steady, but I doubt my muse will stay with me constantly so for now just enjoy a rather quickly produced chapter! I will try to get this out as soon as it comes to me though (and hopefully that kind of thinking won't cause me too many grammatical errors). So thank you to those of you who review! You are muchly loved

I tried to make the chapter a bit longer. I'm not sure if I succeeded but at least it's at a rather good breaking point. No introduction of Tsukasa yet though, I still have to work up to that ;)

**Note(s):** I have no idea how the train system works in Japan other than they have the bullet train (fastest thing on a train track). I've referred to it as a metro and have thusly added similar features to it. Only having access to Marta in Atlanta and only having seen how New York subways operate in movies, I've tried my best to combine what I could. If someone knows or has been on the Japanese train system, let me know. Please, please, please. Until then, the rest of us that don't know will have to pretend what I write is accurate.

Also, in case it does need explaining, generally I will put a characters thoughts in _italics without quotation marks ("...")_ I wasn't sure if that was confusing anyone or not, but now everyone will know for sure:)

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_**Obligatory Disclaimer:** I don't own Hana Yori Dango, Yoko Kamio does and I love her for creating it!  
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Making Ends Meet

Chapter 2: Sleeping, Trains and Laughter

"It's okay mama," Tsukushi said exasperatedly as she sat across the small dinner table from her mother. "The company was laying people off anyway due to the economic slump so it's not entirely your fault." She made her best effort to smile at the woman bawling over dramatically on the other side of the table. _Not to mention that blow to Kunisawa the other day. I'm positive that was partially, if not mostly, to blame for my being fired._

"B-but Tsukushi," Ms. Makino bawled, "It's not just that, it-it's-" Before she could finish her sentence she burst out into tears again. This time it was her father who spoke up from the side of the table.

"Ahem, well you see Tsukushi, we're having to move out as well…" He cast a look down at the small table and ran his fingers absentmindedly underneath the wooden structure along the bumps and grooves found there. "My boss decided to relocate me to a small outpost on the sea coast." His voice was small and distant but Tsukushi got the message. Her father would soon have to be looking for a job as well.

"Does Susumu know?" Tsukushi asked respectfully. Her father nodded as her mother broke out into a new set of tears. "Shouldn't he be starting college soon?"

"We were going to see if I couldn't attend a local college near where we're moving." Susumu's voice rang in through the small apartment.

Tsukushi looked up to see her brother removing his shoes, his eyes not meeting hers. "But Susumu, you have the best grades in your class! I'm sure you could get a scholarship to get into Todai! Surely it wouldn't be that hard for you to get a job and rent a place on your own-"

"It's okay Tsukushi. I can attend college any time. I was thinking of taking a year off anyway to help out with the family expenses. Dad's got himself into another rut with the horse racing again so someone needs to keep an eye on him. At least if I go with mom and dad I can help out and save up money." He said optimistically as he flashed a fake smile at Tsukushi and their parents.

"Oh, Susumu!" Mr. and Ms. Makino gushed. Now it would appear both of them were in tears and hugging onto one another.

_Leave it to my parents to act like a bunch of drama queens._ Tsukushi thought. She knew the look Susumu had flashed her and their parents. It was one Tsukushi had often used when trying to cheer her family up during her years at high school. They had spent almost every penny sending her to Eirin Academy. They would have sent her to Eitoku Academy if they could have afforded it for more than a year but Tsukushi had insisted if they were going to send her to an expensive school she would much rather go to the less expensive one. Even with choosing the less expensive school though, Tsukushi still had to find part time jobs that would take her after school hours. At one point she remembered she had been juggling 4 part time jobs at once while offering tutoring sessions to kids in Susumu's grade level. _Those were pretty rough days._

Tsukushi smiled and squeezed Susumu's arm reassuringly as he sat down beside her at the dinner table. Ms. Makino, upon hearing the rice cooker beeping, rose to her feet and wandered over to start serving dinner. Tsukushi thought it might be best to not tell her parents about her living situation just yet and let them think that the duffel bag of stuff she had been carrying was just so she could spend the night for a while.

As days went by Tsukushi helped her parents pack things into boxes. She even managed to pass off some of her stuff from her old apartment to them by telling them she had no use for it and it was in better use with them. At least for now she could keep her own life as less of a burden to them.

The day of her family's departure Tsukushi smiled understandingly and waved goodbye as they drove the rented truck away to it's destination. _I only hope Susumu's not trying to lie to himself. I hope he will come back and get into Todai._ Once she was able to get a job, she would make a point to get Susumu to move in with her. Maybe then she could pester him into going to college.

"For now I'd better worry about a job." She said to herself. Since living alone after her third year of college she had picked up a bad habit of talking to herself. "It might be best to find one with company housing or some sort of temporary housing for employees…" She picked up a newspaper full of want ads and shuffled around in her pocket to pay the clerk. Much to her disappointment she was about ten cents short. "Oh…" She looked at the sign next to the cashier window and noted the no bank or credit cards sign and cursed at herself inwardly for not having any cash money on her.

"It's alright, I've got it." Came a familiar voice from behind her. Tsukushi looked to se a spunky brown-haired girl about her same age smiling and handing the clerk the aforementioned amount.

"Yuuki!" Tsukushi exclaimed. Yuuki had been her best friend since the about the age of 13 but Tsukushi hadn't seen her in many months. "I can't let you do that! I'll just wait till I get some more money from the bank."

"It's just ten cents Tsukushi. It's not like it's ten million dollars or something." Yuuki laughed and grabbed up the paper she was putting down. "How've you been? I haven't seen you since your college formal. Are you still dating that model?" Yuuki's excited squeal bellowed out through the streets as they exited the tiny shop and Tsukushi nearly had to clamp a hand over her friend's mouth to save her some embarrassment at the mention of her ever dating a model.

"No, Junpei and I are long since split up. He was a really strange one. I think all models have to be a little strange to get the job…" She replied with a flat tone that conveyed annoyance and frustration.

"Aw, damn. Well if you ever meet any more Treasures models just send them my way then okay?" Yuuki gave her friend a playful wink. "So how've you been? I haven't seen you in so long I was afraid I'd forget what you looked like if I saw you!"

With that, Tsukushi and Yuuki managed to spend a few hours chatting away about old things at a nearby tea and coffee house until the mid-afternoon sun settled over them.

"Oh I see," Yuuki said when Tsukushi finally told her the news about her job and living complex..

"Yeah, it's going to be a real pain to find a job with a housing complex. I hope to find a job soon, I can't afford a hotel for very many nights in a row." She frowned at the thought of that, as most hotels she would be able to afford were of very disreputable means. Spending her nights in a love hotel as she was looking for a job was sure to prevent any truly restful sleep as she was sure she'd be too engrossed in thoughts as to when exactly the sheets had a good thorough cleaning.

"Okay then!" Yuuki smacked one of her fists into an open palm. "You can stay with me until you find a job that will allow you to have some kind of housing or afford an apartment!" She said cheerfully.

"I can't do that," Tsukushi started. "You still live with your mom and dad right? I couldn't impose upon them." She waved her hands in front of her light-heartedly. She really did appreciate the gesture but she just couldn't impose on her best friend like that after she hadn't seen her in so long.

"Uh-uh." Yuuki winked and waggled a finger at Tsukushi. "I live with my sister now. Mom and dad thought it was a good way to get me accustomed to living without them. I know my sister won't mind, she loves you! Don't you remember that time we went to that Roppongi club together?"

"Sadly, yes…" Tsukushi lowered her head and smiled in spite of herself. She had punched some guy for getting way too drunk and way to friendly with Yuuki, when Yuuki was obviously trying to say no politely.

"You always were the hot-headed on Tsukushi. But that's what I always liked about you; if something bothers you, you don't hide it. You lay it out right there in the open." Yuuki smiled nostalgically as she leaned her arms on the table and rested her chin on her hands. "Anyway," she snapped out of her reverie and looked at her watch. "It's about 2 o'clock, maybe you can set up some business interviews for tomorrow if you hurry." She motioned to the paper that Tsukushi had been robotically circling want-ads in.

"Oh! You're right! Thank you so much Yuuki!" Tsukushi gave her friend's hands a warm squeeze. "You're sister's place is still where it used to be correct?" She sifted through her wallet and placed a her portion of the tab on the table and rose to her feet.

Upon seeing Yuuki nod, Tsukushi waved goodbye and jogged out the door. She had worn a business suit today for just such a chance. Perhaps she could even rent a locker at the train station to store her duffle bag in if the ATM machines were working there.

---

Looking out the train window, Rui Hanazawa took in the blur of colors that passing objects created. Even though he was Vice President of Hanazawa Commodities he still enjoyed walking to and from everywhere he could. Tonight however, something had put him in the mood to change his routine and go with a change of scenery, the metro.

While it didn't have the pleasant effect of a slight breeze against his face, it was rather peaceful as there were very few passengers traveling this time of night. Very few people rode the trains close to closing time for the stations and even the less savory characters seemed to keep to themselves. He made a note to himself to change his scenery more often.

--

_Oh my god._ Tsukushi chastised herself inwardly, _I can't believe I fell asleep in the park. If that police officer hadn't nudged me I might've remained asleep until who knows when. _A grimace crossed her plain but attractive features. She hadn't been able to sleep very well last night as she was trying to plan out how to go about getting a new job and apartment all in one day. If she had known things would fall into place as they had, she would've made herself catch more sleep.

As she headed down the steps to the train platform she could already hear the train announcement of the last train arriving. _WHAT? Last train already! Shit! Shi! Shit!_ Tsukushi hiked up her business skirt a little and made a mad dash for the train doors just as seemed like they would close. Luckily she was just small enough to squeeze through the doors, of course with no small embarrassment to her ego as she burst into a train car of relatively quiet passengers. A few glares, mostly from people who had been sleeping until their stop, came her way. Tsukushi just smiled apologetically and took a seat close by.

_No luck on jobs yet_. She sighed as she marked off another spot on the want-ads paper she had been carrying. It was beginning to look like she would have to get some sort of food or retail job to keep her afloat until she could find a suitable office job. _A job is a job I suppose but it's a little sad that I'll have this degree to do what I was doing in high school…_ With that thought in her head, Tsukushi began to study another section of want-ads. One ad in particular was for a club and bar entitled Deus Ex Machina. Tsukushi didn't care for clubs or bar work but she knew if they were looking for a bar tender she could make good money. Deciding to put that one ad on hold for now, she continued to skim the want-ads for a far more reputable work place.

"Hey little lady, you look like you could use some cheering up." A semi-slurred voice came from somewhere on Tsukushi's right-hand side. Deciding to ignore it Tsukushi turned her body slightly in the opposite direction of the smell of alcohol and badly rehearsed pick-up lines. Ignoring the man took all of two seconds before Tsukushi heard an uncomfortable response and realized the man wasn't talking to her.

"Um, no thank you sir I'm just fine." A beautiful red-haired girl responded to the man, shyly turning her face away from his intent gaze.

"Aw, c'mon. I know **_I_** could use some cheering up and I bet you could too, know what I mean?" The man had now leaned into the girl's personal space enough to make her physically draw as far away as she could. Sadly this wasn't much as she was pinned up against the back of a train seat with her heat turned away.

"I-um, n-no I d-d-don't sir." She stammered as she shut her eyes closed with disgust and fearful anticipation of what he would do next to make her more uncomfortable.

"I think you know very well what I-"

"She said NO scumbag." Tsukushi angrily spat at the man who was accosting the beautiful young woman. This mad him break his attention from the redhead to Tsukushi now.

"Oh I see, you want some action too then eh? It's okay, there's plenty of me for everybody." The man hiccupped as he sized Tsukushi up from head to toe. He drunkenly clambered his way over to Tsukushi, who was already internally twitching at the audacity of his behavior. "Since you're in such a rush should we start now or would you be able to wait until we reached a hotel?" The man sloppily placed his hand onto Tsukushi's thigh and tried, unsuccessfully, to reach under her skirt.

"What the Hell makes you think ANYONE would want to do anything like that with YOU!" Tsuskushi bellowed at him as she connected her balled up fist with the underside of his jaw, landing the man on his backside on the train floor. She rose from her seat as the train announced it's current destination and began to stop.

The drunken man, still in shock from getting punched by a girl scrambled backwards and finally to his feet to carry him out into the train station they had just arrived at.

'If I **_ever _**see you again, you'd best hope there are police around! YOU HEAR ME YOU ASSHOLE!" Tsukushi waved her fist at him from the doorway of the train station.

---

Rui Hanazawa stared in awe as a small woman punched and chased a late night drunk off the train. However he realized that he wasn't staring at her because of her actions. Instead he was staring at her in awe because of the way she had yelled at him. It had only been a day ago or so that he had been on one of his afternoon walks and heard the exact same voice cursing at the world. Although that time it had been much more colorful language, he was certain that it was the same woman and in spite of himself he found his vocal chords chortling out a small laugh.

---

Tsukushi turned to her left to see a handsome man seated in one of the farther seats of the train softly laughing at her. Under normal circumstances she would've been angry with anyone who laughed at her for chasing off such a scumbag but this situation was a bit different. Here was a handsome man with light brown hair and marble-like eyes looking at her. True he was laughing, but Tsukushi was certain that this kind of man wouldn't have paid attention to her normally at all.

The train signal dinged once more and a final announcement was made for stopping and Tsukushi found she no longer had time to stare at the handsome man on the train as this was actually her stop. On her way out Tsukushi gave a smile to the red-headed woman.

"You should be more assertive with jerks like them. Otherwise they'll walk all over you." She advised the redhead and quickly ducked out the closing train doors.

As the train departed for the final time that evening Tsukushi found herself staring at the man whom had been laughing at her. Her stomach seemed to tighten a little when she found he actually stared back at her for a brief second before the train moved out of visible range.

_Woah,_ Tsukushi stood still in awe. _He was looking at me. True, he was laughing but still…I wonder if I'll ever see him again._ She shook her head and slowly came back to her senses. Figuring Yuuki or her sister might be waiting up for her, Tsukushi quickly made her way to the train locker she had rented and made her way in the direction of Yuuki's place.


	3. Chpt 3 Job Hunting Isnt Easy

Another big thanks to those of you who review(az09, Gentileschi, Chew-chew, Suave101, Perilotte, Shin-Ora, and Neko-chan):D Tthanks to those of you who read and to those of you who don't review as well (although I really wish you'd let me know how I'm doing—even if it's negative!).

I keep re-reading the chapters I've put up and I've noticed some minor grammatical errors and typos. To those of you who are just as anal retentive about those things as I am (waves to reviewer Neko-chan), I apologize. Whenever I get up the energy to fool with document manager I WILL fix them. :)

Also, to those of you who know about Japan explicitly I shall continue to bug you to leave me reviews so I can correct any mistakes I've assumed about Japan (the sooner I know about it, the sooner I can fix it and move on with the story). Currently I have a friend of mine (my better half ) already reading over what I've written thus far but I like to hear about Japan regardless so I'm completely open to hearing about your experience in Japan so feel free to e-mail me about it, even if it doesn't really pertain to my fanfic:)

This chapter might be a bit short, but I'm trying to at least update once a month or so. ;)

**Note(s):** For those of you who may not know, Todai (as was mentioned in last chapter) is a nickname of sorts for Tokyo University.

A Saleen is an American designed/built racing car. The particular model mentioned here is a Saleen 7. While most Saleen's are racing cars there are models made for legalized road usage. They're very sexy cars, if you don't know what one looks like feel free to Google it and ogle at the results.

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_**Obligatory Disclaimer:** I don't own Hana Yori Dango, Yoko Kamio does and I love her for creating it._

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Making Ends Meet

Chapter 3: Job Hunting Isn't Always Easy…

A week passed since Tsukushi's induction into Yuki's home. _A week and still no sign of a good job._ She thought as she pulled up one of her tan thigh-highs over her knee. _There's no way I can keep staying here at Yuuki's like this but I just don't understand why I haven't been able to find a job yet. I know the economy is bad right now but really, there has to be a job **somewhere**. _Slicking the hem of her business skirt down Tsukushi's hands nimbly twisted her hair into a simple up-do that she fastened with a pair of decorative hair-sticks. _I'm going to get that job at that club today if it kills me. I don't care if it's scrubbing floors. I need a steady paying job._ Tsukushi placed on her business jacket that she just barely managed to afford dry cleaning on.

"Although maybe I am a little over dressed…" She sighed. Even though she had arranged an interview with Hanazawa Commodities' head secretary, she still wasn't sure exactly what position she was going into an interview for. The newspaper had simply said: 'Assistant wanted for Hanazawa Commodities' upper management. Please make an appointment as interviews will be held for each candidate. Resume required.'

"Well I suppose it's better to be over dressed than under dressed." She finally decided as she brushed her eyelashes lightly with some mascara and smeared a subtle gloss on her lips. Even using light make-up such as this was bound to help her out in some way. Tsukushi knew she might not be a beauty queen but she didn't have repulsive features by any means. _Still, I'd better get something to eat so my stomach doesn't speak up for me during this interview._ Grabbing a can of milk tea, she quickly rushed out the door in hopes of finding a new job.

Taking busses to and from prospective job opportunities had kept Tsukushi away from taking the metro ever since the night she had started staying at Yuuki's. Often times she would catch herself remembering the handsome young man who had been so bemused at her punching that one drunken pervert as she rode the busses to and from each district. _I'll probably never see him again._ She had to keep telling herself this so that she wouldn't slip too far into her own fantasies. _Still, it doesn't hurt to think about him as long as I know it's not reality..._ A girlish grin crossed her face as she lightly treaded down the bus steps and onto the sidewalk.

Looking around, Tsukushi took in the urban scenery of the Shibuya district. "Let's see, Hanazawa Commodities should be here somewhere…" Glancing at the nearest street sign, Tsukushi began to mentally navigate her way to the interview that would be taking place in roughly thirty minutes. Lost in her own thought, she stood on the edge of the curb closest to the street of traveling vehicles. Realizing that some water had leaked onto the street from perhaps a nearby fire hydrant Tsukushi was able to skillfully dodge a small bit of splashing made by passing traffic. _Ha! Maybe today is especially lucky for me!_ Tsukushi couldn't help but smile to herself as she started rummaging through her presentation notebook to recount her resumes for the fourteenth time.

As a second car passed by, Tsukushi was too enthralled in her thoughts to realize it too would hit the same puddle as the previous car. However, unlike the first car, the splash this car had made was by far much larger and more damaging than what the other car could've made. Instead of the possibility of just her shoes being soaked, the entire front of Tsukushi's business jacket, skirt and shirt were covered in a mix of water and road slime, not to mention her freshly printed resumes and leather presentation notebook which had been a Christmas gift from her brother.

Perhaps it was Tsukushi's bad luck or maybe her completely defenseless demeanor that made her react so carelessly. She was so angry she could hardly speak but anything that was coming out of her mouth was a very loud and angry expletive. Before she knew it she had hurled her canned drink at the car responsible and much to her utter shock and horror the car came to a screeching halt just as the cross light turned green and she began to try and walk past where the car had stopped suddenly ahead of her.

"What the HELL was that about?" An extremely irate masculine voice roared as a tall figure rose out of the car Tsukushi had tagged with her drink can.

_Shit…_ Tsukushi thought as she took a good look at the car stopped just to her left. Thin tires, luscious red curves…yep, it was an import. It looked like a relatively recent model of some racing car. _A Saleen?_ Tsukushi pondered inwardly. She was no expert on cars but she could definitely tell this car wasn't built in Japan.

"Would you stop gawking for a moment and pay attention to when someone is yelling at you!"

"Well why don't you slow down when you're driving! This isn't a race track you know! Thanks to you I'm not only going to be late for my job interview but now I look a mess!" Tsukushi took notice of her presentation notebook and the extremely wet insides. "And now ALL my resumes are a mess!" Tsukushi's full attention went to the tall young man who had risen out of the car as fast as his voice was rising in volume. As she studied his features, she concluded that he was obviously of an upper class financial standing. From his designer suit, eccentric coif, to his well manicured hands, everything about him screamed pampered. Of course the car was, most decidedly, the first tip off.

"It's not my fault you don't have enough comical sense to stand farther away from the edge of the curb, you idiot!" If this man were an animal, Tsukushi knew she would see the fur on the back of his neck bristling. It was bad enough that he was baring his teeth and using a most informal way of addressing her.

"Wha-?" Tsukushi blinked a few times and tried to discern if she had heard him correctly. "Don't you mean **_common_** sense?" Placing her free hand on one of her hips, Tsukushi tilted her head and raised an eyebrow at the man across the expensive car from her, who was now steadily turning red. Whether from the embarrassment of the public humiliation by being corrected or because of the current infraction of her drink can hitting his car, she wasn't sure. "Your Japanese is as bas as your driving!"

For a moment Tsukushi wasn't sure if the hot-headed idiot was going to explode or just stand there turning different shades of red and purple until he passed out from lack of oxygen. All he was managing to get out were mere utterances of syllables. Most of which were probably curses, or would have been if he could get them out of his mouth.

"Look, I don't have time to deal with a rich brat like you okay? You could afford the car right? You can afford to get a scratch out of the paint, where as if I don't land the job interview I'm off to I may not even be able to buy my dinner much less the dry cleaning for this suit your horrendous driving has ruined! So if you'll excuse me, Mr.-" She gave a glance to his custom license plate, "Numbah One, I'll be on my way." With that final verbal snap, Tsukushi left a handsomely arrogant man standing beside himself in the street, oblivious to the pile of traffic jamming up behind him.

---

Stumbling out the door of Hanazawa Commodities, Tsukushi heaved an extremely heavy sigh. _They didn't even try to look at my resume...Not that they would have if they had seen it. _Tsukushi looked down at what she could see of her own appearance. Even after trying to clean what she could off of herself, she still looked a mess. The only difference she could tell from before the impromptu bathroom cleaning and after was that now she looked like slightly less of a zombie in a business suit.

Keeping her eyes focused on the cracks in the sidewalk Tsukushi wandered in a very depressed fashion back the way she had come from. _Maybe if I walk back to Yuuki's from here I can get a fast food job or something._ She was all about just getting some kind of a job now, she would have to worry about using her degree sometime later. Mustering up what little courage she had left she took in a deep breath and swung her arms more powerfully as she walked. As she lifted her eyes from the pavement, her increase in walking speed sent her colliding directly with something rather hard in front of her.

After tumbling to the sidewalk with the mass of whatever it was, Tsukushi let out a groan of frustration at herself.

"Ow!" The mass said in a vaguely familiar voice.

"Oh my god!" Tsukushi jumped inwardly and got to her feet. "I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to run into you! Are you alright?" The words sped out of her mouth before she could even make eye-contact with the mass of clothes and reddish-brown hair. "K-Ka-Kazuya!"

"Makino? Making Tsukushi?" The young man said, elation buried in his effeminate voice. As he dusted off his slacks and rose to his feet he eyed Tsukushi with vague familiarity. "Who would've thought I'd run into you?"

Smiling to each other, Tsukushi and Kazuya exchanged a warmth of friendship that could only be shared by the two who had been friends since elementary school.

"How long has it been?" Tsukushi said fondly. She and Kazuya had attended the same elementary and middle school but high school had been another matter entirely. Kazuya's family had become, what he had always likened to refer to it as, "Nouveau Riche" which meant his parents had sent him to Eitoku Academy.

"Too long apparently." Kazuya's smile turned to worry as he noticed Tsukushi's state of distress with her clothes. "What happened to you Tsukushi! You look like you've been attacked by a pack of wild dogs!"

"Well maybe just one wild dog…" Tsukushi muttered as she recalled the pampered rich kid yelling from his car at her earlier.

"What?"

"Eh-heh, it's nothing. Just some trouble earlier with traffic. I was on my way to an interview but needless to say I failed." Scratching the back of her neck, Tsukushi's face held a regrettable smile. "They took one look at me and refused me right there."

"You're looking for work Tsukushi? With the economy in such a slump? That can't be good." Kazuya's boyish features were made into a frown. Even over the years his boyish charms still hadn't left his face, leaving him to look much younger than the 23 year old he actually was. Of course if his attitude was still as Tsukushi remembered it he probably still acted much younger than his age too.

"Yeah. I was hoping to look for anything really. Looks like I'll have to go work fast food or something. You know me, always needing money so I can help out my family." Tsukushi grimaced tightly through a smile while trying to massage away some of her tension with her hand on the back of her neck.

"Do you really mean that Tsukushi? After all, you do have a bachelor's degree now…" Kazuya furrowed his brow. Sometimes he just couldn't understand how people couldn't hire Tsukushi, she was the hardest working person he knew. .._Okay well maybe I can understand why they didn't hire her with how she looks right now._ He sighed inwardly noting the faintly greasy stains the beige-grey material failed to hide.

The short brown-haired woman sighed and nodded. "I guess I don't have much choice anymore unless you happen to know of a better idea." She smirked jokingly, knowing that Kazuya was pretty useless when it came to job situations. It's not that he wasn't hard working or serious, it's just that Tsukushi didn't exactly see him as the dependable type really. Naturally she was shocked when Kazuya started thumbing his chin in thought and the response that came shortly after.

"Actually…" Kazuya's eyes searched in mid-air to his right as he tried to get his thoughts straight. "If you're up to memorizing things, I might have a job for you until you can get something where you'll use that hard-earned degree." He smiled and his eyes lit-up at the idea of helping his youthful crush. As a young boy and on into becoming a young man, Tsukushi had always been in his thoughts and fantasies of relationships. Even though he was always too shy to really say anything, Kazuya deeply appreciated Tsukushi for the hard-working, honest and moral character Tsukushi had been. There were other assets he had liked as well but these would be the best descriptions of her when he attempted to get her hired on at his place of work.

"Really!" She squeaked. Tsukushi couldn't believe it. Not only running into one of her better friends, but the possibility of a job as well? It was too much to hope for.

"Sure. I'm on my way there. Would you like to come with me?" Noticing her hesitancy to answer his question he was sure to put any doubts to rest. "Don't worry about your appearance too much. I'm sure if you just remove the outer jacket and wear the skirt and blouse, no one will notice." Kazuya proffered his arm to Tsukushi in his always casually friendly manner and together they were off to a different part of Shibuya.


	4. Chpt 4 Deus Ex Makino? !

I've started moving author's notes to the bottom ;) Just to let everyone know….

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_**Obligatory Disclaimer:** I don't own Hana Yori Dango, Yoko Kamio does and I love her for creating it._

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Making Ends Meet

Chapter 4: Deus Ex Makino!

"Thank you so much Kazuya!" Tsukushi continually gushed as the two wandered down the streets of Shibuya. "If this works out I'll be eternally grateful!"

Kazuya simply smiled generously and waggled a finger at Tsukushi. "Don't thank me yet, the main boss here is extremely picky. He's one of those types that it's best to tip-toe around if you can help it."

"But aren't you the boss Kazuya?" Eyeing her friend carefully she shot a confused glance to the charming youth. _Surely he's talking about one of his family's businesses. With his family becoming newly rich there shouldn't be any need for Kazuya to actually work to earn a living now._

Almost riotous laughter burst forth from her barely masculine friend. Slapping his knee, Kazuya had to stop in the middle of walking and catch his breath again from laughing so hard.

"Ha ha ha," Sniffle. "No, no. Tsukushi, what ever gave you that idea?" He wiped a tear from his eye as he just managed to catch his breath.

"Well maybe the fact that you've been bragging about being Nouveau Riche for the longest time?" The wry look on Tsukushi's face was indeed comical. "Surely I thought you'd never actually have to work to earn a living with all the money your father made from selling your land and the investments there after. Naturally I thought you were talking about getting me a job at one of your parent's main investments."

"Not exactly." Kazuya looked around as the two resumed walking. Soon they would be arriving at the place that was home to the prospective job for Tsukushi. "You see a few of my parents investments went south and the rest of the money seems to be tied up in the banks currently. So while we have enough to live off of rather well right now there's no guarantee of our investments turning out well for the future. So in light of that, I took on a management job at the place I'm leading you to currently. Ah! Speaking of which—" Both friends' footsteps came to an abrupt halt in front of a rather sleek, well kept looking building as Kazuya smiled brightly. "—here we are!"

Looming over the sidewalk, the sign above Tsukushi, Kazuya and many other individuals read in English lettering 'Deus Ex Machina.' _Now where in the world have I heard of that before…_Tsukushi stood lost in thought as Kazuya moved towards the main entrance of the flashy club. She was positive about having seen that name somewhere other than as a literary device.

"C'mon Tsukushi. With any luck the boss will be in a good mood and hire you on the spot! Especially since I do have _some_ sway." Kazuya winked as he braced open the door with his arm from already inside the building.

"Nn." Uttered Tsukushi as she shook her head, dismissing any previous thoughts and wandering into the seductive building.

---------------

"Okay, Ms. Makino, when can you start training?" The head bartender asked Tsukushi as he flashed a generous smile her way. He was probably around his late twenties or early thirties Tsukushi surmised. _And definitely not without a ..quirky sense of humor._ Tsukushi noted as she took notice of his shirt which read, 'Lucky for you, love is blind' in large grunge font across the chest.

"Today if you need me to Mr. Saitono!" Was the response that came clumsily rushing out of her mouth in excitement. Her interview had been bordering on forty-five minutes now, after the first fifteen of which Kazuya had to resume his own management duties on one of the higher floors leaving Tsukushi all alone with Takeshi Saitono, head bar-tender and drinks server. Tsukushi would never have dreamed getting a job to be this easy. Especially one at such an upscale club with a very generous rate of pay, not including any tips she might receive. The atmosphere of this place was very upscale. From the exquisite flooring to the walls and furnishings that lined therein, everything was very posh. Even more unbelievable was the fact that, even though the club portion of Deus Ex Machina wasn't upon for another six or seven hours, there seemed to be a steady amount of people trafficking through and around the floors themselves; most of which were either extremely gorgeous looking people or those with some kind of equipment, if not both in combination.

Looking around, Tsukushi could make out the main dance floor. While Deus Ex Machina's house lighting wasn't extremely bright she could only imagine what this place would look like with the lights at night time. She could see from the main bar out onto a large dance floor. _If this place wasn't a club it could do very well for a professional theater…well minus the seating of course._ Tsukushi noted in her head that where she was sitting at the main bar would be the ideal place for a performance stage. _When you think about it, it's the perfect place to put a bar really. It's visible to everyone from any of the platforms here._

Tsukushi's attention drifted from the lower level dance floor to the other platforms that seemed to emerge and disappear from different corners of the room. A bar tucked here…A performance platform there…This place seemed to either be expecting to do a lot of business or it was doing a lot of business. Tsukushi was at a loss of information about this place as she was never much for clubbing when she was in school.

"Please, call me Takeshi." The man with spiked black hair called her back to reality from behind the bar. "Everyone here is pretty much on a first name basis except the big boss and his friends," Making a motion to one of the upper levels with his finger Takeshi smiled warmly. "And with any luck, you won't have to meet them except for once or twice. Even I don't see them that much and I've been under their employ for about two years now."

"Oh.. Well then, please call me Tsukushi." Flashing a quick smile, Tsukushi then allowed her eyes to wander up to where the young man had motioned. There were definitely two other floors that she could make out. If there were any other floors they were surely out of her vision due to the balcony that hung over her head presently.

"At any rate, it wouldn't hurt to get you started training tonight if you were serious about being available for work. The sooner we can get some more mixers, the better. Due to a mix of regular customers and pressure from the big guns we've had a lot of people quit." Takeshi stopped his previous activity of drying a glass to take a moment and look into Tsukushi's eyes seriously. "I'm not going to kid with you Tsukushi, this is hard work and it's not for everyone. We have great security but sometimes we're faced with extremely demanding customers and our boss is one of the worst about that. He won't go easy on you just because you're female."

Tsukushi stiffened at that last statement. _What is THAT supposed to mean!_

"Special treatment is the LAST thing I want from anyone. I can make it on my own without any special allowances." Matching his gaze, her fighting spirit flared up as she remembered her motto all throughout high school and college. "I'm as stubborn as a weed Mr. Takeshi, show me a problem and I'll find a way to solve it or get around it."

A rather loud clapping noise snapped through the club along with Takeshi's laughter as he slapped his hand on the bar top. "Please, it's just Takeshi." He couldn't believe she was still being so formal, this was a club for heaven's sake not an office job. "And good. You can start tonight. With a fighting spirit like yours behind the counter I don't think we'll have to worry too much about you."

Tsukushi let out a sigh of relief. _I was worried I might have stepped over the line a little bit and screwed myself out of the job._ Sometimes her pride could really get the better of her.

Taking her silence as a cue, Takeshi folded his arms and leaned his elbows on the sleek black marble counter. Leering in Tsukushi's personal space with a cocky smirk accenting his angular features he let out a small, but amused snort.

"So…do you have anything sexy to wear? Preferably something without grease stains all over it…?"

---------------

A little over two weeks passed by with Tsukushi training heavily at Deus Ex Machina. _Being a drinks server requires a lot of dedication._ She had been sure to thank Kazuya profusely after learning she was practically being paid to attend a bar-tending school of sorts as Takeshi was training her first hand. Takeshi Saitono was actually running his own private school out of Deus Ex Machina for serving drinks. It may not have been the most conventional things to do out of such a ritzy place but when Takeshi had explained it he clarified that the owner of Deus Ex Machina received a cut of the profits he made. Along with the exchange of funds for resources, Takeshi made sure to mention to Tsukushi that learning any of D.E.M.'s specialty drinks also meant that in the event she was let go from their employ that she was not allowed to reproduce those drinks elsewhere.

Laying the clothes out on her bed, Tsukushi went over her wardrobe carefully. When Takeshi had mentioned having something sexy to wear two weeks ago he was referring to her debut night, which just so happened to be tonight. Until now she had been toiling away her daylight hours learning drinks and her nights running tables at the club.

"This is really embarrassing Yuuki, but does your sister have any clubbing attire that would still fit me?" Feeling a slight blush of embarrassment rise to her cheeks Tsukushi turned to her friend who sat on the far end of the bed brushing her shoulder-length light brown hair.

"Eee! You mean tonight you'll actually be mixing drinks Tsukushi! Not just running them to tables!" Yuuki squealed setting down her hair brush and looking expectantly at Tsukushi. "I'm SURE she has something!" Excitedly the delicate looking girl grabbed onto Tsukushi's wrist and drug her out of the bedroom with more force than Tsukushi would have thought possible from her small friend.

An hour later Tsukushi stood looking at herself in the mirror thanks to Yuuki and her sister's handiwork. _The low-wedged heels are okay I guess…I'm used to wearing some kind of heel so it won't be hard to work in this. The fact that they come up to my knee might be a bit of a problem with circulation but worse come to worse I can always take them off when I'm behind the bar…_ She moved on up her legs, noting the sheen of the hose she wore over her pale legs. She had immediately refused to wear the fishnet ones Yuuki had suggested on her first night of real work. **Especially** when she was supposed to meet the big boss for the first time tonight. _I don't need him thinking he's hired a tramp to serve drinks. It's bad enough Yuuki's sister talked me into wearing this vinyl skirt._ Studying the length of the shiny black article of clothing, Tsukushi felt increasingly nervous. She had never really been the short skirt type and while this skirt wasn't exactly a mini-skirt, it wasn't exactly knee length either. Reaching a hand to her side Tsukushi measured that the skirt came to the tips of her fingers and that it would have to be good enough until she could buy herself something a little less…breezy. _Maybe some nice form fitting pants next time._

Moving along yet again, Tsukushi scrutinized her black top with much less fear than her skirt but still with a certain unease. _Spaghetti strap isn't my favorite but at least it's made of a light polyester blend._ Satisfied for now with how she looked she added a few bracelets, unobtrusive watch and single necklace.

"Thanks so much Yuuki. Are you going to come visit me on my first night?" Tsukushi grinned at her best friend as she slipped on her dark denim jacket.

"You know it! I'm going to wait for my sister to get home first though. That way we can go together. She's been dying to go to that club for months now." Yuuki beamed at Tsukushi and fidgeted with removing a large section of Tsukushi's hair that had found itself caught inside the jacket collar.

"Okay. Just remember to ask for Takeshi Saitono if you don't see me. Since he's directly over me he'll know my whereabouts if I happen to get summoned to one of the private decks." Flashing an energetic smile Tsukushi gave Yuuki a quick hug.

"Be careful or you'll smear your oh-so-sexy make-up!" Yuki teased lightly, knowing Tsukushi had only used a vibrant lip color and extremely light eye-makeup. "Now go or you'll be late for the start of your shift!" Yuuki waved as Tsukushi practically skipped down the street to the bus station.

---------------

The club at night was a completely different scene. For the past two weeks, Tsukushi's surprise had yet to be abated. As the last few moments of daylight passed on into the secluding folds of night, Deus Ex Machina's atmosphere was reborn from that of a quietly busy building into a vibrant and vivacious club. The light from the neon signage on the front of the club that, in cursive font, read Deus Ex Machina seemed to beckon to all different classes of people. Younger people, older people, sophisticated and unrefined; Deus Ex Machina certainly knew how to cater to different crowds without losing it's own personal flare. Each night without fail, the club's atmosphere played out this act of Jekyll and Hyde.

_It only makes sense I suppose._ Tsukushi told herself as she refilled a few glass trays with the house trail mix. _After all, by day this place is apparently model headquarters._ She remembered disbelieving her co-worker Rumiko when she had informed Tsukushi that Shizuka Todo would be arriving in a few weeks; As Deus Ex Machina's top model things would be tightening down considerably in the next few weeks.

"It's been worse than trying to prepare for a health inspection." Grumbling to herself, Tsukushi returned the large container of trail mix to the store room. Managing to lift an oversized tray stacked with glass containers, filled to the brim with trail mix, she started to make her way down to the main bar area taking a short cut through the soon to be full dance floor.

Being able to cart such a heavy platform was decidedly much easier before the crowds of people were let in Tsukushi concluded as she practically sped down the steps and halfway across the floor. The tray wasn't exactly heavy for Tsukushi but she would rather not have to hold it for very long if there was an option. Tsukushi was moving so swiftly with the platter of salty snacks, depositing a tray here and there among the tables scattered throughout the main floor, she wasn't paying too much attention to whom might have been walking around. …until she ran into someone, literally.

"I'm sorry!" She cried out as she was scrambling to keep her balance with the tray that was so precariously perched atop her hand; to fresh onlookers of the scene, it would seem as if she was almost doing a dance of her own. As she came to a halt of her balancing act Tsukushi heard the sound of someone's hands clapping together mixed with light laughter.

"Bravo!" A young black haired man with deep brown eyes applauded. "If I didn't know better, I would think you were a long-time employee." From the looks of it he could have been one of Deus Ex Machina's regular models. He was taller than Tsukushi, somewhere around 180 cm and devastatingly handsome.

"Um, thanks…I think." Tsukushi said bewildered. Something about this guy didn't rub her the right way. Maybe it was in the glibness of his voice but something about him had playboy written all over him. After a moment of unease Tsukushi shifted the weight of the less full tray on her hand. "I'm very sorry about bumping into you but I have to get these out to all the tables before we open. Please be more careful next time and I will try to be as well." Flashing a quick smile of sympathy Tsukushi once again started darting from one table to the next making her way to the other side of the room without so much as a backwards glance towards the suave gentleman.

---------------

"Hmph, and not even an exchange of names." Soujiro Nishikado said to himself as he shoved his hands into his pockets. It was indeed rare when a woman that he came into contact with wasn't clamoring for his attentions in one way or another. Maybe the new girl wasn't exactly buxom or drop-dead gorgeous by most standards but Soujiro was an equal opportunist when it came to women. He was especially intrigued by those who refused to pay him any attention at all simply because of his acclimation to such fawning behavior ever since early childhood.

Walking over to Takeshi, whom was positioned in a corner tending to the taps on the beer kegs, Soujiro leaned an elbow on the counter in a casual manner. "I want her to be deck three's server tonight." His finger singled out Tsukushi who was just setting down her large tray, now significantly less full, on the main bar positioned on the main stage to one side of the room.

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TBC...

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**Note(s)**-180 cm is roughly around 5'9 for those of us not on the metric system ;)

Once again a gigantic thanks to my reviewers: Juliagulia1017, Chew Chew, Gentileschi, Az09, LokiGirl, Dream Bean, and Suave101.

I encourage those of you who are reading and not reviewing to please review and let me know how I'm doing. Whether it's something you'd like to see more or less of, I'd like to know what I can improve on. :) Consequently, to those of you who review the previous chapter after I've posted all my thanks, don't worry you are still greatly loved and appreciated so thank you in advance!


	5. Chapter 5 It Might Not Be So Bad

Wow, it's been a long while! Thanks so much for everyone's support, you guys have no idea how much I really appreciate it:) Well the muse has hit me again (finally!) and I now have a little time to write things out more. This is actually the second writing of this chapter. I initially had it on my old computer hard drive (which is currently inaccessible…it's a long story) but I decided to scrap that version and go with this, I think it fits it much better. I don't know what the update schedule for this will be other than slow most likely. I'm getting ready to graduate college this fall so there are a lot of things I need to worry about (like a senior art show coming up soon) so my time may be less than what it is now.

But fear not! For I'm not abandoning this story! I've put far too much thought into it to do that. XD So anyway, onto the story!

**:-:-:EDIT 07/01/06: I've revised some of the chapter to keep Rui more in character. I hope this fits better :) :-:-:**_**  
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_**Obligatory Disclaimer: I don't own Hana Yori Dango, Yoko Kamio does and I love her for creating it.**_

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Making Ends Meet

Chapter 5: It Might Not Be So Bad…

Standing behind the private bar she had been summoned to, Tsukushi gulped silently. She knew she was going to meet the big boss of Deus Ex Machina tonight but she had no idea she'd be summoned to their actual private room on deck 3. Truth be told she had no clue who the boss was. She didn't even have a name to go by. _Smooth Tsukushi. You could've at least ASKED Takeshi for a name._

She had mixed the drinks the four men in the room had asked for well enough apparently, as no one complained. _Of course they could just not tell me and fire me before I get back down to the main floor really…_ Tsukushi thought morbidly and ran a finger underneath the choker she had picked out earlier in the day to wear. Maybe wearing something that restricted her neck wasn't such a good idea after all, no matter how alluring it made you look.

To make matters worse one of the men had kept shooting her several different looks upon her entering the room. The first look from this curly haired man was of shock, then suspicion, then anger. Tsukushi couldn't tell what his problem was, but she did place that he looked vaguely familiar. _Probably just one of the models I've seen around here in the past week I'd wager._ As the man shot her another look Tsukushi pretended not to notice and instead simmered underneath her coolly composed exterior. It wasn't like she hadn't bowed low when she entered or had acted inappropriately.

Forgetting the ill tempered model may have been watching her, Tsukushi grimaced down at the table as she stared into space. Of the four men, the one she had bumped into downstairs was very obviously trying to hit on her and it bugged her to no end. She had learned his name was Nishikado Soujiro, his blood type, his sign and many other details she'd preffer not to remember…and that was only in the first 10 minutes of meeting him! For all the suaveness he may have been able to pull with other females, nothing gave him any points with Tsukushi. She was used to men either not hitting on her at all or only hitting on her for one thing, that one thing being sex. To Tsukushi, Mr. Nishikado was just another guy after that one thing so it was only natural to her that she dismiss him and shoot him down every time he suggested something lewd.

Slightly shaking her head, she dropped the grimace just as quickly as it came over her face. If there was one thing she would change about herself it would be her ability to hide her emotions selectively. Many times the wrong look or facial expression had cost her a promotion here or a raise there if she happened to dislike whomever it was offering her that position. She was determined to not let these guys get under her skin like that and cost her what may be her only job for a while.

The other two men were fairly tolerable. One with shoulder-blade length highlighted brown hair tied into a low ponytail and one man with short, sandy brown hair and marble-like eyes. The one with highlights in his hair seemed to be a good friend of Mr. Nishikado's but other than a smooth phrase now and then, he didn't bother Tsukushi too much--to which Tsukushi was extremely grateful.

However there was one thing that had bothered Tsukushi ever since she entered the room. The man with sandy brown hair and marble eyes was definitely the man she locked eyes with on the train that night weeks ago. She was sure of it. His laugh was the same, his looks, his suite, even his detached demeanor from the other three resonated with the image she had of him stuck in her mind since that night had long since passed.

"Rui, why do you always order that drink? You never drink it!" The dark curly haired model barked with annoyance.

_So his name is Rui.._ Tsukushi thought dreamily before scrunching her nose up a little at the sounds the curly haired man had produced. Something about it was familiar….eerily familiar.

The man, now known as Rui, just twirled the tiny cocktail umbrella between his thumb and index finger amusedly and replied calmly, "It's too pretty to drink….and I like the umbrellas." He had ordered what they call a 'Captain's Silver Sunrise' and Tsukushi had to agree, it was a pretty drink.

Giving an exasperated sigh the dark haired man took another large swig of scotch from his glass. He had ordered scotch on the rocks with a lime twist. Tsukushi would never have thought that was an acceptable combination for a drink but did as he had ordered and produced him with a small glass of the weird mix. Apparently she had done something right because after he took a rather large first swig, he gave her another one of his wary glances and sat himself where he was now currently resting.

"Relax Tsukasa," The good looking long haired man said. "Not everyone likes to drink as much as you do."

This earned a quick-lived glare from the guy Tsukushi now identified as Tsukasa. It was true, he had ordered at least 2 since she had been here and even though the glasses were small they were still a good size as far as dishware goes.

"I'm not asking him too, I just can't stand how he wastes the alcohol and plays with the umbrellas. It's positively embassadoring! Besides, he could always just ask for the umbrella by itself!" Tsukasa growled and placed his drink on the coffee table in front of him with a loud clacking sound.

Tsukushi let out a little snort at the incorrect vocabulary of the obviously arrogant Tsukasa but covered it up quickly with a cough and a drink of water.

Soujiro grasped the bridge of his nose and squeezed lightly. "You mean **embarrassing**. I swear your Japanese gets worse everyday. It's really good you didn't take over your parent's company or else Japan might be in severe trouble due to your lack of public relation skills."

Tsukasa's face turned red but then he shrugged it off by jibbing back at Soujiro in his own way. "And I suppose if you had inherited the old hag's company Japan would have to worry about a sex scandal every few days?" Tsukasa picked up the glass and thumbed the rim of it, perhaps in amusement.

"He's probably right you know, but you see for Soujiro to get anywhere in the business world he obviously needs me near by." The man with long hair said confidently and grinned.

To this Soujiro lifted an eyebrow and turned his attention toward the man he was sitting next to. "And why would I need you there Akira?"

"To sleep with all the older ladies of course! You know you can't even think of touching a girl unless she's within 5 years of your age range. If you're going to sleep your way into business you have to deal with the old bags as well as the new ones!" The grin that Akira wore blossomed into a snicker as even the quiet Rui's shoulders shook in silent laughter.

Soujiro in turn, used this to his advantage and quickly turned his posture so he was sitting on the couch with his arm leaning on the arm rest facing Tsukushi. Leaning his head to one side, in an effort to look adorable Tsukushi surmised, he asked in a suggestive tone, "So what about you Tsukushi? How old are you?"

"You're not supposed to ask a lady her age." Tsukushi said sternly as she proceeded to rearrange the bottles on the counter for the fifth time, not even giving him a cursory glance. Apparently this was funny because everyone, except Soujiro, was starting to snicker. Instead Soujiro, not to be deterred in obtaining Tsukushi's age persisted.

"Ah-ah-aah." He chastised as he waved a finger at Tsukushi. "That's not very nice, give me a real response."

Tsukushi could feel her ire rising at the back of her neck as she stopped arranging the bottles. Looking at Soujiro in the face she deadpanned, "Five-hundred forty-seven years old."

At this the rest of the guys broke out into a riotous laughter, even the guy named Tsukasa couldn't hold back a snort. Soujiro even smiled and shook his head at the woman who was determined not to become his conquest.

It was only when the laughter died down that the faint sounds of the phone could be heard ringing. Effortlessly, Tsukasa reached down to his left of his plush leather chair and picked the phone up off it's cradle.

"Hello?...Yes, she's still here……Really? That packed huh?...Okay well there's no problem with that, she'll be right down." With a quick beep Tsukasa shut the phone off and instead of placing the portable back on it's cradle, left it on the coffee table in front of him.

With more quickness that Tsukushi had expected Tsukasa snapped his head in her direction. "Takeshi needs you downstairs. Apparently our new show has attracted a lot of interest and he needs all the mixers he can get so hurry up and get down there."

Tsukushi gave a curt nod and folded her cleaning towel into her apron. Walking across the room to the door Tsukushi still noticed Tsukasa's eyes on her but she didn't sense any hostility this time. Before exiting the room, Tsukushi gave a graceful bow and closed the door without saying anything farther. However, as she was walking away she could swear she heard jibes given to Soujiro about how "he wasn't going to nail this one" or something like that.

Tsukushi exhaled a large breath as she waited on the elevator. She had just met her boss in that room, albeit she didn't know which man it was, and had survived without getting a complaint. To add to her thankfulness she had also seen her beautiful stranger, Rui, again. _I can only hope I'll see more of him._ She thought as she entered the elevator and pressed the button to go to the main floor. Suddenly she thought that maybe working as a bartender wouldn't be so bad after all if it meant she got to see Rui on a regular basis.

**- - - - - - - - -**

Thanks again to you beautiful reviewers (whom I'd love to name individually but I think ffdotnet would get angry with me O.o; ). Let me know how I'm doing if you like, I'll try to respond as quick as I can! Stick around for more plot development as this is probably going to be a very long fic! XD


	6. Chapter 6 Surviving, Tips, and Security

Sorry for the delay everyone! This is technically "hot from the press" so FFdotNet will probably not like me but shrugs oh well! On with the story!

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_**Obligatory Disclaimer:** I don't own Hana Yori Dango, Yoko Kamio does and I love her for creating it._

_**---------**_

_Italics for thought and sound effects._

"Quotes for speech."

Making Ends Meet

Chapter 6: Surviving, Tips and Security…

_Clip. Clop. Clip. Clop_. Tsukushi's steps struck the ground with controlled force as she exited the serene atmosphere of the private elevator to return amongst the lively club milieu.

True to his word, Takeshi had not been kidding about the club being packed. Deus Ex Machina was alive with people from all different walks of life. While the wealthier clientele could purchase rooms upon one of the private decks, the less financially adept were all about mingling on the floor betwixt the bar and stage spaces.

Weaving her way through the crowd of customers, Tsukushi made her way to the bar that Takeshi was tending. Picking up on Tsukushi's gaze, Takeshi looked up from one of the glasses he was drying off and smiled.

"So how'd it go?" He asked, inclining his voice ever-so-slightly, as Tsukushi closed the table-top door to get behind the counter.

"Well no one wound up with a drink in their laps." Tsukushi strained to smile back. _Or in their faces._ She thought, still irritated from Soujiro's constant pick-up attempts.

At this the lanky man let out a hearty ring of laughter. "Soujiro get under your skin--or your skirt--any?" His eyes twinkled slightly at Tsukushi's immediate irritation. He would have to bug her later for details about her adamant refusal of Soujiro. Many girls had tried to be mixers for Deus Ex Machina but few actually made it through a night with Soujiro without hopping into bed with him. It was sort of a test, Takeshi assumed, that the owner put his new employees through. He'd call together his friends and try to get them to romance the new employee if they were female or try to intimidate them if they were male.

"No but if he had anything to say about it, I'm sure he'd try to make it otherwise." She managed to growl out as she pulled a bottle of liquor from underneath the bar to take the place of an empty one. "I mean really, just because someone's female doesn't mean they'll fawn all over him."

"And I suppose that the fact that he's rich, good looking and popular have no factors in it either?" He jibed good-naturedly.

"Not in the least." Tsukushi continued inventory of Takeshi's bar idly while trying to keep the vexation out of her voice unsuccessfully.

"Tsukushi, you are truly one of a kind." The black haired man shook his head and said with peculiar affection. "By the way, your friend…Yuuki is her name? She's down there."

Takeshi pointed to one curved end of the bar they'd been at together for five minutes now and sure enough there was Yuuki; no doubt borrowing some items from her sister's wardrobe as well. Asking for approval to join her in her glance at Takeshi, Tsukushi gave him a quick thanks and jotted down to the end of the bar.

"Yuuki!" Tsukushi squealed. "I'm glad you made it!"

Yuuki turned around from watching one of the stages and focused on Tsukushi. "There you are Tsukushi! I had asked Takeshi where you were. He said you were meeting the F4!"

Tsukushi blinked. "The wha-? What are you talking about Yuuki?"

By Yuuki's slightly pinked cheeks it wasn't hard to tell she had alcohol in her system. If that wasn't enough proof, there were the two empty hurricane glasses that sat in front of her.

"The Flower Four, Tsukushi! Or at least that's what they were called in high school…or at least that's what Takeshi said." Yuuki blinked innocently. _A few more drinks will be her cut-off limit._ Tsukushi surmised.

"Oh." She said simply. _It makes sense I guess…I mean they're all as pretty as flowers._ "…but don't you think that's an awfully _girly_ name?"

This time it was Takeshi's turn to answer. "Well that's what you get when you have a school wide fan club of girls. They tend to make up girly names. Y'know, that whole being a girl thing…"

"Ha, ha, very funny." Tsukushi said sardonically.

"Tsukushi, do you think you've got it here? I've got to go relieve Haruta over at Bar C. He's the hypoglycemic one of our little 'family' here."

"Yeah, it shouldn't be a problem. Even though it's busy, things seem to be running smoothly." Restraining a snicker, Tsukushi nodded. Takeshi certainly did have an odd way of viewing things. Odd, but certainly not dull. "I'll give you a ring if anything gets too hectic over here."

"Alright. Catch you girls later." Giving Yuuki and Tsukushi a flirtatious wink, Takeshi sauntered through the bar gate and made his way around the dance floor, inching towards Bar C.

Rolling her eyes slightly Tsukushi turned back to the bar and obediently started fixing drinks with relative-ease.

---------------

A few hours later and Tsukushi was pretty happy with herself. Not only had she managed one of the larger bars by herself during a rush but she had managed to make at least $200 _(1)_ worth in tips…and that was only in ones! _Not bad,_ she mused to herself, _not bad at all._

Smiling she took the small break in customers as a reprieve to restock the liquor and look for Yuuki again. During the entire night she hadn't strayed far from Tsukushi's bar, save for when a few guys asked her for a dance and to buy her a drink. Personally, Tsukushi couldn't say she cared for Yuuki's taste in men but whatever made her friend happy she guessed was okay.

And then Tsukushi stopped smiling.

Reaching for the small black phone placed inconspicuously behind the bar, Tsukushi called club security from her station.

"Hey, I think we may have some trouble here at Bar D. … The kind of trouble that you slip into some poor unsuspecting woman's drink. … Just get over here, I'll try to stall them okay? … Thanks." Quickly placing the phone behind the counter again Tsukushi eyed the two men surrounding Yuuki.

Indeed it was the two men Tsukushi had spotted earlier in the evening offering to buy Yuuki drinks. Trying not to outwardly bristle, Tsukushi called over to Yuuki in a futile attempt to gain her attention.

After realizing that yelling at an inebriated Yuuki, in large room, with loud music was not going to work, Tsukushi bit her lip and quickly considered her options.

She could leave the bar space before anyone came, be it security or someone to relieve her or she could wait for security to come quickly and hope that Yuuki wouldn't be coerced quite as easily as she feared.

The problem with vacating the bar was that it was a _very_ dangerous thing to do, even for a few minutes. Riots could ensue, pilfering of the cash register or liquor stores could happen; in short, it was against club policy to vacate the bar for any reason other than fire or gun point…and even then gun point became debatable.

But this was _Yuuki_. Poor, innocent Yuuki, who could only blush around guys in high school and had always been extremely shy, was now being escorted by two sleazy guys wearing semi-wrinkled leisure suits away from the bar to god-only-knows where. To Tsukushi the choice wasn't so simple as much as it was instinctual.

Giving a quick apology to anyone sitting at the bar Tsukushi quickly ran out from behind the bar and over to Yuuki.

"Yuuki! Snap out of it girl! Where are you going?" Tsukushi focused all her attention on Yuuki, who was currently half-way propping herself up by one of the aforementioned sleazes.

"What's it any business of yours? Unless you'd like to join us—" The tall blonde deftly glanced at Tsukushi's name tag while taking in a good look at her figure, "Tsuki?"

Immediately trying not to cringe at the nickname Takeshi had put on her name tag, Tsukushi glared at the man who stood a good head taller than her. "My friend's are always my business and you aren't going anywhere with her OR me."

Mumbling something incoherent Yuuki shifted from one leg to the other as her arms were attempting to be lead in one direction and then another by two different people.

"Sure we're not short stuff." The shorter, darker haired man leered. "Look, isn't the customer always right? I know that I bought more than $30 worth in drinks, not including tips, from you. The least you can do is show a little…appreciation." Gliding a plump hand over onto Tsukushi's backside, the shorter man decided to give her buttocks a test squeeze.

---------------

Tsukushi tried to contain her temper. She really did.

From the man-handling of Yuuki earlier, that they had called dancing, to the attempts to escort Yuuki away from the bar and presumably out of the building—Tsukushi really had been a more than fair sport about it.

But it was their refusal to cooperate and then their final assumption that drove her to do it.

"What is it with you people…AND MY ASS!" Tsukushi bellowed as she hurled a swift and heavy right hook into his jaw. Before she could control herself she had flung herself at the other man, who was scrambling to get away, foot first into anywhere she could land a hit; which ironically happened to also be his face.

Silence fell over the crowd that surrounded Bar D. As security arrived, they found a more than stressed Tsukushi who was helping her friend to a seat behind the bar with two men knocked out on the floor near by.

"You!" Tsukushi heard a familiar voice bellow from behind her.

"In a minute!" She replied snappishly, without looking away from Yuuki. "Are you okay Yuuki? Here, have some water. We need to get your system sobered up immediately." Tsukushi quickly fumbled and handed the girl a large glass of water.

"No one ignores Tsukasa Doumyoji! Especially when that person happens to be his **_employee_**!" The irate masculine voice antagonized.

Whipping her head around, Tsukushi froze.There next to the security guards stood a tall, curly-haired, _familiar_ looking man known as Tsukasa Doumyoji—the man who apparenly happened to be Tsukushi's boss.

---------------

TBC...

---------------

**_(1)_-** This section relates to the fact that I have NO idea what bar tenders make in tips. None at all, so I just went with a happy number and hope it's enough. In the odd event that any bartenders are actually reading my fanfic—please feel free to let me know how it works:D

EDIT 8/28/07 -- I've gone back and entered a higher amount of tip money. Apparently my wording was misunderstood, but either way. It's fixed now so yay! ;)

** Note(s)**-Wow it has been a while since I updated huh? Sorry about that guys. School is getting the better of me as well as other obsessions now. I've tacked on another fanfic to my name (for shaaammmeee!). So if you like X-Men or just like critiquing my writing, please feel free to read and critique!

Okay, normally I wouldn't really ask this but I desperately need a beta. I have a technical beta (who has been WONDERFUL to me so far—I love you Steph-chan!) but she does not know HYD universe. If anyone out there, who has read the ENTIRE series, wants to be my beta **_-PLEASE-_** let me know! I have a lot of problems writing this these days because I seem to have run out of plot line for my story. I have the set up worked out and now I just have no idea where I want to go with it specifically. So yes, an HYD beta would be awesome (that way I'd have two betas and it'd be like having my own harem!...er, or well maybe not…)

For those of you wanting to know the pairing read on, those of you not wanting to know: Stop here. The pairing for this particular fic (as I've pictured it) is Tsukasa/Tsukushi. I'm just personally attracted to the way they work as a couple. Currently I suppose there are a lot of different ways this could go about but I don't know if it'll go there. Sorry for those other shippers, but I just have my own preferences I guess. I do hope it won't discourage anyone from reading this though!

Once again a gigantic thanks to my reviewers: Heiress of the House of Moon, WishingStar436, Rui, CSMars, Juliana, Kristin-a-dette, az09, aikawa, LokiGirl, Gentileschi, Daniangel, and Xyjah. I'm sorry I haven't gotten around to responding to you guys this time! (I would respond now but I'm afraid most of you would be like "What on earth is she talking about?")

Oh and Az09 wanted to know where I got the name Takeshi. To be honest I formed it out of syllables in my head but I think I was influenced by Takeshi Gouda from Tramps Like Us (AKA Kimi Wa Petto!)—another great manga series:D

I encourage those of you who are reading and not reviewing to please review and let me know how I'm doing. Whether it's something you'd like to see more or less of, I'd like to know what I can improve on. :) Consequently, to those of you who review the previous chapter after I've posted all my thanks, don't worry you are still greatly loved and appreciated so thank you in (post?)advance!


	7. Chapter 7 Probation

Hi again everybody! Here's the next chapter, but first a few things:

About last chapter – I'm going to go back through and edit the chapter accordingly but the main point was that Tsukushi hadn't been at the bar but for maybe an hour or two before the incident. That was really the only reason I had mentioned the tips. Thanks to everyone who let me know about the tipping policy in Japan:D

A **_BIG _**thanks to Aikawa for being my beta! Much love to you m'dear!! Also, to all of my reviewers from last time! You guys are what help to get me off my bum and writing more! ;)

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**_Obligatory Disclaimer:_**_ I don't own Hana Yori Dango, Yoko Kamio does and I love her for creating it._

**_---------_**

_Italics for thought and sound effects._

"Quotes for speech."

Making Ends Meet

Chapter 7: Probation

It was kind of ironic really. Well maybe not ironic as much as it was profusely irritating. The walk back up to the private deck, where Tsukushi had been serving drinks to her boss only hours before, seemed to drag on in a crisp, agonizing silence. She knew that Tsukasa Doumyouji was angry. The emotion that was so intensely unpleasant that she could feel it rolling off him in waves.

….of course it didn't help in Tsukasa's case that his face, ears and neck had turn about five different shades of red and purple since yelling at Tsukushi to report to his 'office.'

Tsukushi noted from her vantage point, that currently his neck was a vague fuchsia color; a much appreciated improvement from the deep maroon shade it had been moments before they entered the elevator.

With the exception of the duo's footsteps on the beige carpet, only Tsukasa's irritated breathing could be heard. Albeit the music from downstairs was winding down now, Tsukushi could only focus on what was presently in front of her. With the many people, sounds and lights downstairs seeming to matter little,all the petite woman could do was nervously chew on her lip as she strode behind her boss. The boss she had been trying to impress all evening, the boss that would no doubt point out her lack of following protocol, the boss that she had obviously ignored and snapped at while attending to her friend. _Whose alcohol level I should have been monitoring anyway,_ she silently berated herself for being so careless.

One poignant pause at the door, a light shuffling of items, a whizzing sound then an eventual click and the door was open.

Taking smooth, sustained strides, Tsukasa entered the room and quietly held the door open for Tsukushi as she followed suite.

"Sit." He bit out in a quiet but commanding voice. Something about the tone sent chills up Tsukushi's spine; it was soft in volume but seemed to be weighted down by all the tension the tall man had been projecting on the walk to the room.

Sitting down on the edge of one of overly plush leather pieces of furniture, Tsukushi continued to chew on her bottom lip slightly. Perched on the brim of the couch, Tsukushi sat there with the several possibilities of what could unfold traveling through her mind's eye. So many scenarios, most of them bad, were running through her head that she nearly missed the moment the curly haired man began speaking.

"What do you think you were doing down there?" Came the question, rolling off his tongue with strained ease, the over-enunciation of the syllables obvious.

"What? What do you mean 'what was I doing down there'?" Tsukushi stopped staring at her knees long enough to flick her brown eyes up to her employer's. "I was doing what _anyone_ would have done in that situation. I saw a problem and-"

"And you _what_ exactly?!" Tsukasa cut her off. "You _left_your station and register open hoping to incite a riot? Is thatit?!" The grit of his teeth was obvious as he eyed Tsukushi's countenance wildly.

'No! I just—!" She began.

"You _what?_ You didn't trust that our security could _handle_ this kind of a situation is that it Ms. Makino?!" He barked.

Her blood was starting to boil, Tsukushi could tell that much. Shooting up from her position to stand on her heels, she balled her hands into fists at her sides. "NO! It's just, Yuuki's my friend! What was I _supposed_ to do?! Just sit back and watch while those creeps man-handled her?!"

"Just because she's your friend doesn't make you any LESS responsible! What if a riot had decided to bust(1) out at your bar while you weren't supervising the drawer?"

Tsukushi blinked for a moment, her momentum lost. _Did he just say..bust? As in boobs? Whaa?_

"How you ever got Takeshi's approval I'll never know." He scoffed, taking her silence for acceptance of her mistakes.

"Burst." She said quietly after a few moments, all bewilderment gone from her visage.

"Huh? Burst what?" The bewildered expression was now passed from Tsukushi's face to Tsukasa's.

"You mean 'What if a riot had decided to **_burst_** out at my bar'. Not _bust_." Tsukushi's eyelids hung half-way down in an annoyed fashion and her lips were pursed together, ignoring the slightly inflamed state they were in despite her constant lower-lip-chewing.

Somewhere in the farther reaches of her hearing Tsukushi swore she heard a balloon deflating as she watched Tsukasa's cheeks and ears turn a brilliant shade of red.

"That's irrelevant!! You know what I mean!" He all but threw the words out of his mouth. "You could have cost the club countless dollars in property damage and lawsuits alone!!"

The space where his slender frame had been leaning against the back of an opposing chair for support was now vacant as he stomped angrily over to stare down the little pipsqueak of a bartender who stood up to him.

Silently Tsukushi had to admit, he was right; it was very careless of her. But something in her just wouldn't allow her to sit back and watch while things like that to happen around her. Whether it was her friend or someone completely foreign to her, if they were in danger she just couldn't sit by and watch. It was that damn goody-goody streak in her that had never died out since it sparked up in grade school.

"With a temper like your's you're lucky you haven't had any lawsuits slapped on you yet!" Tsukasa continued his diatribe to further cut Tsukushi down to size. "You're lucky I found out you're a rather decent mixer _before_ I found out your name!(2) Do you _KNOW_ how hard it is to find someone to work on import cars around here?!"

Tsukushi blinked. _Import cars? What? Has he actually lost it??_ Tsukasa had been staring her down, nose to nose only a few moments ago. Now he was busy pacing back and forth a few feet from her, tossing his head back and forth as the inane babbling spat out of his mouth, flailing his fists in the air every now and then. He was chattering on about his precious car being hit by a milk tea can and some odd dent it received when Tsukushi's brain started to wriggle the puzzle pieces together.

He was familiar to her, she knew that since she walked in the door earlier in the evening. She just didn't know where from. It was the sort of eerily familiarity that snuck up on you; like you've been introduced at a party but then upon meeting the person a week later, you've forgotten their name. As she was pondering this feeling she was struck with two realizations at once.

One, that she indeed had met this man previously before. Or well, she had met his car. It was a vague memory, but she still cursed the driver out in her mind every time she looked at the business suit she had been wearing the very day she got her job at this fancy club.

And two, this Tsukasa Doumyouji looked very much like Amon Kunisawa. In fact, he looked so _much_ like him that they could be twins or at the least related.

At that last point, the petite woman's slightly open jaw closed itself and hardened into a heavily set line. This was a horrible joke to play on anyone, let alone someone who's working her ass off just to scrape by, and Tsukushi was not about to take it lying down. Biting down onto her lip once more Tsukushi waited until the raving man in front of her whirled around, probably curious as to the sudden onset of tranquility from the small woman.

"So that's it, huh? That's your game." She said again quietly, this time with unmistakable contempt. "How much is he paying you? It's one hell of a set up, I must say…"

At this Tsukasa could only blink in bewilderment. A simple "what?" was all he could manage to croak out.

"What? Oh, come on. You look JUST like him," At this Tsukushi stomped over to the taller man, now towering over her, and pointed an index finger directly at his face, "If I didn't know any better I'd swear you two were _twins_! Well, twins with different hairstyles but still! I'm willing to bet you're at least related to Kunisawa!"

"Kunisawa who? I've never heard that name before!" Tsukasa once again could feel the ire rising in him. Not only was this woman a security risk but she was delusional as well! _Why do all the decent workers have to be crazy?_ He thought exasperatedly as he scrunched his nose away from the accusing finger pointing at him.

Before either of them could continue arguing a sudden, and purposefully loud click was heard as Soujiro Nishikado entered the room.

"Wow, you two are still in here arguing I see."

"Now if you'd like to keep your job I suggest you shut up and sit down Ms. Makino!" Tsukasa managed to finish his diatribe without skipping a beat.

Tsukushi hesitantly removed her finger from Tsukasa's personal space with her mouth twitching from the words she held back at his scathing command. Somehow, she also found herself able to sit on the couch, albeit tensely, despite being ordered to do so.

A softer click was heard as Soujiro closed the door. Shaking his head, Soujiro explained, "Honestly, I would've expected the girl to be in tears by now with how you handle women Tsukasa. Seriously, you have no tact."

Tsukushi bristled visibly. _What is it with tonight? Is everyone TRYING to get under my skin or are they just good at it naturally?_ Without much pause after Soujiro's comment, and without much thought to her current situation, Tsukushi found words coming out of her mouth in heated agitation again.

"With all due respect, Mr. Nishikado," Sharply turning her head to Soujiro, she made sure to spit her words with as much haughty disdain as she could muster while boring her eyes into his, "I would prefer honesty and no tact to slithering compliments and hidden meanings."

Mr. Nishikado only smiled politely at Tsukushi in return, which she found quite disturbing. Moving to one of the chairs near the couch, he took his seat and motioned to Tsukasa to take one of his own.

Tsukasa, still unsure if he was just complimented or insulted, took a seat in one of the chairs cautiously.

"There now." Soujiro cleared his throat, "Shall we begin?" Pulling out a pair of reading glasses seemingly from nowhere, he placed them upon the bridge of his nose and picked up a small leather bound looking folder. After skimming through a few pages, Tsukushi noticed that Tsukasa was doing the same thing, although no reading glasses were present on his face.

It was then she began to feel the nervous butterflies again in her stomach. While she had been arguing they hadn't bothered her but now that the adrenaline was subsiding back into normal levels she could feel her abdomen writhing with muscle flutters and the faint feel of goose bumps prickling at her uncovered arms.

For Tsukushi, the need for a trashcan was enormous at that moment.

After a few moments played in excruciating silence Tsukasa and Soujiro began discussing the pros and cons of keeping or firing Tsukushi. Soujiro was the first to start.

"Well she's done remarkably well with learning drink recipes."

"So she's got a good memory. I'm sure other people do too."

"She's done great with customer service. Not a single complaint and even a few mentions of her for good things on the comment cards."

"And what would the two men tonight have to say?"

"Two out of the number of people we deal with is trifling."

"Yes but if they tell their friends and so on and so forth we may find ourselves in quite a bind."

Tsukushi, up to this point, had been watching them banter back and forth without looking up from their folders. It was a strange game of verbal ping pong, that, so far, had moved neither this way or that.

"I still don't see how firing me will help any of that." Tsukushi said almost under her breath, briefly running her hands over the sides of her arms trying to smooth out the small bumps of skin found there. She may not have liked Soujiro to begin with but he certainly did seem to be on her side of things.

"Well I suppose we could fire her then," Soujiro continued, apparently ignoring Tsukushi's statement. "There are plenty of better looking girls in this city just clamouring for this job. I could see to it….personally."

Correction. She still didn't like Soujiro. Tsukushi felt dirty just listening to all the implications he had placed in the last word of his sentence. Apparently she wasn't the only one uncomfortable with all the illicit meanings tied to the statement as she noticed Tsukasa freeze in his seat as well.

…_wait a minute. Did he just insult me??_ Tsukushi could feel her temper beginning to rise again just as she opened her mouth to retort something. Thankfully, Tsukasa beat her to the punch and managed to keep her temper from wreaking more havoc.

"Fine then, she stays. But on probation. One more slip up and she's gone. No questions, no excuses. Gone."

Soujiro considered this for a moment before giving his consent and taking off the reading glasses which _almost_ made him look professional.

"It's settled then." Turning his face towards Tsukushi, he continued his thought directly to her. "Tsukushi, you will be allowed to keep your job on a probationary status pending one month. If you manage to continue your acts of personal vengeance on the club's guests, or any discrepancy for that matter, you will be fired without back pay, reference or notice. Is that clear?"

Tsukushi could feel her spine standing rigid as she nodded meekly and looked back and forth between Soujiro and Tsukasa. Why wasn't Tsukasa giving her this order? Wasn't Soujiro just one of Tsukasa's friends or something?

"You are dismissed. Return to Bar D and help Takeshi close down, your probation begins tomorrow." Tsukasa said with a final note and placed his leather bound folio on the table after scrawling something on the pages with a pen.

Somewhere between getting up and exiting the room, Tsukushi vaguely remembered muttering a weak "yes sir," giving a polite bow and closing the door with extra caution.

--

The rest of the night passed pretty uneventfully with Tsukushi turning inward for a lot of her thoughts. Takeshi had put her to restocking all of the bars depleted supplies of liquor, mix and garnishes in an attempt to keep her out of any more trouble for the night. Takeshi had also seen to it personally that Yuuki was escorted home and her sister notified so she wouldn't worry. For that, Tsukushi was extremely grateful.

"Thanks again Takeshi." Tsukushi bowed to whom she deemed her drink mentor. "Leave it to me to botch my big night with the boss." Sighing and moving on to cleaning, Tsukushi could only mutter disparaging things to herself under her breath.

"Actually, I think you made out pretty well considering the circumstances." Takeshi said thoughtfully as he closed some of the bottles for the night. "Normally the bosses don't really keep anyone who makes a mistake like you did tonight. You must have done _something_ to impress them up there earlier."

Giving a quick glance up to the floor Takeshi had gestured to helped Tsukushi give thought to her situation. She _hadn't_ been fired. Even Tsukushi knew how big of a mistake she made and yet, she wasn't thrown to the curb immediately. There was no guarantee that she wouldn't be there soon if she didn't impress Tsukasa and Soujiro soon, but for now she was safe. Thankfully.

_Come to think of it, who exactly **is** in charge here? I thought Mr. Doumyouji owned the place but Mr. Nishikado was definitely involved in the decision making up there._ After emptying the cigarette trays while coughing and wheezing the entire time, Tsukushi decided that maybe washing the drinking glasses was better suited for her.

When she arrived in the kitchen she found Takeshi already soaping up some glasses and setting them to his right on one side of a 3 compartment sink. Grabbing a towel, Tsukushi filled the spot to the right of the diligent dishwasher and started to dry the sopping wet glasses.

_Wipe, wipe, squeak._

"So who exactly _is_ the boss here? I thought it was Mr. Doumyouji but Mr. Nishikado seems to carry a lot of weight around here as well."

_Slosh, slosh, plunk._

"Actually, they both run the place. Can you believe that?"

_Squeak, squeak, clink._

"Really? They don't seem to get along very well. You'd think business partners would get along, especially in an atmosphere like this."

_Plunk, slosh, plunk, dink._

"Yeah, well that's Tsukasa and Soujiro for you. Actually it's quite the miracle they ended up working as a team at all really. Pure chance and circumstance."

_Wipe, wipe, clink, squeak._

"Huh, like what? Don't tell me they bumped into each other on the street one day and decided to open a club/modeling agency on a whim."

_Slosh, dink, dink._

"Not exactly like that. It's a bit of a long story and it seems we're all out of dishes to wash. Maybe I can tell you the story another night? Seeing as how you're going to be spending a lot of time under my wing again with all that 'probation'." Reaching a pruney hand into the slightly murky water and coming up with the sink plug, Takeshi grinned.

"Why sir, if I didn't know any better I would think you'd enjoy seeing me being in trouble." Tsukushi retorted wryly as she finished drying the last glass set in front of her.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Giving a glance to his watch and rubbing his spiky black locks with the other, Takeshi grimaced a bit. "You'd better get going Tsukushi, I don't want you missing the last train."

Nodding in agreement Tsukushi thanked Takeshi once more and hurried through the locker room gathering her things. Tsukushi was extremely fond of her dark haired trainer in a friendly way. Due to her experiences with people like Junpei Oribe, who's name she still shuddered at, she generally had an instant dislike for men unless they were gay or just completely uninterested. Having spent two weeks underneath Takeshi's impecable care as a trainee, she assumed the prior reason was what cause the lack of his attitude towards her sexually. And Tsukushi was more than okay with that. It was much what she imagined having an older brother would be like. As Tsukushi left D.E.M. for the night, she found herself acquiescing to her probation sentence,so long as it was Takeshi who would be her supervisor.

_**---------**_

(1) – In America, by formal grammar rules, "bust" is a term for someone's breast or a sculpture of someone's head and chest area. Informally bust _can_ be used as burst, however, I'm roughly trying to emulate some Japanese grammar effects in here. I might be off a bit, but just go with it and trust me that bust _does_ indeed mean boobs and that your English teacher will prod you about it if you use it as Tsukasa does here.

(2) – See chapter 3.

_**---------**_

**Author's Notes** - Also, if there are some story plot holes and such, please try and be patient as I assure you, everything will start making more sense. Feel free to comment and be inquisitive though, but keep in mind that I can't respond to you unless you sign in or leave an e-mail address! ;) I love hearing what you guys think so please don't hesitate to let me know how I'm doing! Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8 Nightmares, INCOMPLETE

**Title: Making Ends Meet**

**Chapter 8: Nightmares**

**Fandom: **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers

**Author:**GirlAnime (beta-ed by the wonderful Aikawa! :D)

**Summary: **AU. Makino Tsukushi is freshly out of college, still spunky and...out of a job? Between losing her apartment, seeing her family off to a new town and hunting for a new job is there even a moment of peace?

**Extended Summary: **Losing a job, an apartment and helping her family move to a new town has left Tsukushi in a bit of a jam. Now living with Yuki, her friend since grade school, and Yuki's sister, Tsukushi finds herself working at one of the most popular night spots in town under the dictation of a Tsukasa Doumyoji and a Nishikado Soujiro.

**Rating: **Teen/Mature

**Warnings: **Language, angst, innuendo, possibly other things I haven't caught yet.

**Author's Notes:** Wow, okay so it's been FOREVER since I've updated. I am REALLY sorry about that. Several real life issues have come up (plus another fandom has been stealing attention from my HYD fangirly-ness this past week) and it's just been terrible here for a while. I decided that since a year has passed I should at least post _something_ so be forewarned THIS CHAPTER IS NOT FINISHED. It's been beta-ed, but it's not completed so _**when I update this story again, please be sure to read this chapter again**_.

I'm starting of with a new form of presentation (which has been totally ganked from author LuciadeMedici here on FF-dot-net—read her stuff, it's good!). I've also decided not to worry so much if my story doesn't exactly match into Japan's setting as I find this is keeping me from writing more chapters. So for those of you purists, you'll have to forgive me but I would like to finish this story sometime.

However I DO have plans to get this story done (even if it takes me years) so don't worry you wonderful faithful readers you! It will get done!

Also, if any of you want to leave a review in the meantime for encouragement, I would love that! :)

**Disclaimer:** All characters and situations remain the property of their respective owners. Hana Yori Dango was created by Yoko Kamio and I love her for it!

* * *

**Making Ends Meet**

Chapter 8: Nightmares

* * *

Falling. That was the first feeling Tsukasa could remember. The one feeling which proceeded to haunt him to the present day.

Since the age of mere infants, both the heirs, Tsubaki and Tsukasa, had been watched by nursemaids and nannies. It wasn't unusual for future great company leaders to be cared for by young maids in place of the mother. Especially for large companies like Doumyoji Enterprises, which was well known to have a big impact on Japan's economy.

However, one evening, due to some amateur nursemaid's inattention, Tsukasa had rolled out of his crib and fell onto the floor, miraculously, unhurt. If Tsukasa could have spoken as a tiny baby he would've had her fired within two seconds flat, but seeing as how he could barely make coherent noises for his daily demands, he settled for crying instead.

It would start out as a numbness in his stomach, then spiral outwards like a black hole till the excruciating loss brushed his other organs and held them in it's grasp, trembling for a reprieve. Following it, would be a sense of movement that only served to make the numbness more acute and potent throughout the entirety of his body.

This was the feeling Tsukasa associated with failure.

Icy glares, restraints, clever words that would literally carve him and the lack of breath in his lungs; these were all common themes throughout his nightmares. The worst ones, however, were of him falling. His therapist had told him it was a very common dream, shared by many people throughout the world and that it was nothing to be alarmed about. Though as a bearer of the Doumyoji name, Tsukasa could not and _would not_ accept that anything about himself—even his dreams—to be deemed common.

Staring at the ceiling in the illuminated darkness of night time, a young man contemplated the mere idea of these dreams being normal. For a brief instant, that man contemplated what life would have been like if he were born into a normal family, but the attention didn't linger long and was instead drawn to the light sheen of moisture that enveloped his body currently.

Rolling over to one side, part of the finely woven, expensive sheets clung to his body in an effort to remind him of the realm his consciousness had just left. The cold sweat left on his body served only as justification to rise from his cloth-held prison and shower the remains of memory away. He had indeed had many more dreams than that last nightmare, but he'd be damned if he could remember any of them.

Padding across the lush carpet floor, which if it had been daylight would have been a neutral beige color, Tsukasa entered the bathroom, not even giving a glance to the clock. He already knew that it must have been around 4 or 5 in the morning, it always was when he awoke from his nightmares.

The switch from the warm, neutral carpet to the harsh and cold accusing tile wasn't what drew the curse from his lips though. Instead, it was the mourning of not taking in enough alcohol to dull the senses of his dreams. It seemed lately he needed more and more of the substance to ward away the nightmares and it would always come to bite him in the ass when he would fail to ingest the right amount. Reaching for his toothbrush, Tsukasa started to brush out the offensive film that had collected in his mouth from only a few hours of drug induced sleep.

* * *

_She stands at her high school graduation ceremony. Looking around the crowd, she recognizes the faces of all the rich snobs she had gone to school with at Eirin Academy. _

_Clearing her throat, she hears herself begin a speech of proper pomp and circumstance for the occasion and yet she cannot understand the words as they come out of her mouth. She can hear something alright but it's only the hum of the words as they vibrated through her vocal chords. However, she cannot process the meaning of them._

_Like notes pulled from a violin, the words come soothingly from her throat. The students are all paying attention to her with awe and respect. This is the moment she has wanted for years!_

_Suddenly, shrill inharmonious noises replace the soothing words coming out of her mouth, confusing her. Laughing. She can hear laughing now. Who is it that is laughing? Looking to the audience she sees each student laughing with glee at her predicament._

_Then she realizes it. It takes her a few moments of looking around and trying desperately to be attentive. It's like trying to concentrate through a mist made of gelatin. On a podium, in front of all the students at Eirin Academy, Tsukushi Makino stands dressed in the clothes she arrived in upon her birth—nothing._

Blearily opening her eyes, Tsukushi gave a sigh of relief to find herself staring at one of the walls belonging to the place she shared with Yuki. She briefly entertained the idea of looking underneath the covers to make sure she was still clothed but a quick rush of air across her arm let her know her body was still clad in her pajamas from the previous night.

Rising up with the mid-morning sun, Tsukushi once again extended a mental 'thank you' note that her work hours were unusual and she could sleep in when she wanted to. Today would be one of her many days of probation at the night club where she worked. In the first few days of her probation her stomach had been unsettled horribly, but as the days wore on, she figured out it was nothing that a good afternoon breakfast of natto and rice (and maybe a little pickled radish if there was any in the fridge) couldn't cure.

Trading her sleep shorts for a pair of jeans, Tsukushi decided to wander downstairs to the apartment complex to check the mail. Scuffling down the cement steps, it wasn't long before she was faced with the long rows of metal mail boxes. Carefully reading the number on each one, she purposefully pressed the key into the lock and swiveled it until she heard an appreciative clunking noise, letting her know the compartment was now unlocked.

"Wow…I guess Yuki and her sister don't check their mail that often, huh?" She found herself mumbling as she looked at the large amounts of miscellaneous mail that were currently trying to occupy the same space in their tiny metal residence. Attempting to ignore the absurdity of it, Tsukushi gathered all the mail from the box and somehow managed to shut and re-lock the mailbox before heading back upstairs.

A few flights of stairs later and she was back inside the apartment she and her roommates shared. If there had only been one person living in the apartment, it might've been considered pretty big, but as it was, there were now three people living in a space that was really only decent for two.

Any mental note of rolling up her futon and then taking a shower temporarily slipped Tsukushi's mind though as she sifted through the mail and came upon an envelope addressed to her.

"It's from Susumu!" Tsukushi said to herself excitedly as she ripped into the plain brown envelope.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Dear Tsukushi,_

_How are you? Mom and Dad and I are doing fine, um, well relatively speaking. You know Mom and Dad aren't exactly the best money managers in the world but we're getting by thanks to me putting away money little by little._

_I've taken up a job at the local supermarket here and, lucky for me, they're flexible with their working hours so when I start going to college they might actually be willing to work with me. I'm a little sad we're no longer in the big city, but everyone's nice here so I'm sure things will be fine._

_How is everything? I'm sure now that Mom and Dad aren't there to suck up your income, you must be doing tons better right? Of course don't tell either of them that, lest they go into a dramatic fit._

_Anyway, Mom and Dad send their love. Oh, and the seaweed, it was their idea to send you seaweed. I don't know why. I'm scared to ask, you know how weird they get sometimes._

_We all hope you're doing well. You should be able to mail letters to us at this address. I can also go and check my email every now and then at the library here so don't hesitate if that's easier. Take care and try not to hit anyone with that righteous sense of justice of yours okay?_

_Love,_

_Susumu_

_(and Mom and Dad)_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Looking into the rest of the padded envelope, sure enough, Tsukushi found a large mass of dried seaweed. She really didn't understand her parents sometimes but she thought it best not to waste the seaweed and placed it in a plastic bag in the cupboard.

Placing the rest of the mail on the small counter that partially divided the apartment, Tsukushi began her search for apartments by sectioning off the paper. If that provided nothing, she had already decided that perhaps checking some internet listings might be a good idea. She still had yet to get her first paycheck from D.E.M. and with what she had left in her savings, she was pretty sure that until payday came, she wouldn't be able to get out of Yuki's hair. However that wouldn't stop her from looking for affordable apartments until that nice paycheck flew her way.

Opening up the local newspaper and grabbing a colored highlighter, Tsukushi continued her diligent search.

* * *

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Tsukasa."

"What do you want?"

"Now, now. Is that anyway to greet your mother?"

"I said, what do you want?"

"Humph. Honestly, you must get that attitude from those brainless companions you call friends."

"I'm going to hang up now."

"I was just calling to check in with you darling, like I do every month."

"_Bzzt!_ Wrong. You call me every time you want to try and convince me to come back to the company. Well I've got news for you, it hasn't worked the past five times and it's not about to work now."

"Tsukasa, stop it! Most kids go through this phase in their teens. Really, why do you have to go through it now?"

"For the last time, it's NOT a phase and I'm not going to listen anymore. If you have anything ELSE to say, call me some other time. Goodbye." _Click!_

* * *

Walking into Hanazawa Commodities at a lazy ten o'clock, Rui Hanazawa was no more surprised to see Tsukasa Doumyoji in his office than most people would be surprised to see clouds in the sky. It had become a routine with the two. Often when Tsukasa couldn't sleep, which was happening more and more lately, Rui would find him waiting in his office—generally sitting in _his_ chair.

"Another nightmare?" Rui asked casually as he glanced through the stack of papers he had picked up from his secretary on the way in; a memo here, a company letter there, a meeting schedule. Nothing that couldn't wait, he decided, while he pacified Tsukasa.

"That too." Tsukasa said as he wheeled the chair around to face Rui. "Actually the old bag called today," His expression was still that of someone lost in thoughts far away as he said it.

Rui's eyes snapped to Tsukasa's blank visage with concerned worry. A call from Kaede Doumyoji usually meant overly violent actions on Tsukasa's part. Although he was never worried for Tsukasa's safety, after all the boy had been taught several martial arts from a young age, he was most worried for any unfortunate soul that might accidentally mention words, or any that _might_ sounded like, Kaede Doumyoji when Tsukasa was in this kind of a mood.

"Did you hurt anyone on the way here this time?" Rui asked as he stroked his light brown hair in worry disguised by exasperation.

"Nnn." Tsukasa grunted. "Not this time. You're lucky enough to be the first person I've seen since she called this morning. Damned hag. Calling me at seven in the morning like she knows I'll be up."

Giving Tsukasa a quick once-over to make sure there were no blood stains anywhere, Rui exhaled a sigh of relief and went about his office work as per usual, letting Tsukasa remain in his desk chair without complaint. Whether Rui did this out of respect or laziness was still a mystery to Tsukasa, but he accepted the gesture with dignity.

"So you going to come out to the club tonight? You know, Shizuka's going to be there."

Rui stopped straightening the papers that were in his hands momentarily before returning to the same motion a bit more mechanically. "Maybe…it depends on how much I have to do here."

If Tsukasa noticed his hesitance he didn't say.

"We haven't seen her for so long." Tsukasa glanced out the window as he thought out loud, "I wonder what she looks like now that she's a world famous model and idol."

"Probably just as beautiful as she ever was." Came the interrupting voice of Soujiro as he burst through the office doors with Akira in tow, who was still rubbing the sand from his eyes. "So are we going to do this meeting or are you two going to sit there reminiscing all day?"

* * *

Deus Ex Machina in the daytime was somewhere between chic and posh. Even disconnected from inherited fortune, the Doumyoji name still carried it's proper clout and, even though he hated it, Tsukasa intended to use it for all it was worth. Within the time he had severed himself from his mother and father's fortune, Tsukasa had managed to build a small but extremely successful modeling agency.

The club had been Soujiro's idea and was not without its' own merit, but Tsukasa was more comfortable dealing with things from a more 'hands-off' approach. The club had meant dealing with people in close quarters and having to kiss a little more ass than he would have liked, but thankfully Soujiro was more than good with that. Soujiro's people skills combined with the Doumyoji name made for an unbeatable combination and within no time they had a booming business made betwixt the both of them.

Tsukasa considered the fact that he was head of security as a perk. It generally guaranteed him a fight at least once a week, if not more. Given his tall stature, chilly demeanor, and rather notorious experiences in his youth, he made a crude, but effective security chief for the club. Depending upon which side of the security team you were on, this could be a good or bad thing.

For Soujiro it wasn't that he loved dealing with people so much as that his public face was better suited to it than Tsukasa's. Still carrying on the Nishikado name in the most prestigious tea ceremonies, Soujiro considered the club aspect of D.E.M. a fun escape from the world practically forced upon him by his parents. His parents saw it as him being stuck in a constant means of teenage rebellion but as long as Soujiro was at every tea ceremony they asked, they couldn't do much to him.

Akira and Rui considered themselves more like spectators in the modeling agency and club business. While Akira had provided the backing for the club initially, Tsukasa had managed to pay him back more than double the original amount within only a month or two. The only condition Tsukasa had given Akira was that any family business of the Mimasaka's was to take place off the club grounds. Tsukasa might still have some sway with the authorities, but he didn't want to press it unless he really needed to. Thankfully Akira was by far the most mature of the group and completely understood the need to keep family and friends separated. Besides, he also considered D.E.M. to be a kind of hideaway from his underground lifestyle and there was no way he would ruin it if he could help it.

Rui still wasn't sure why he came to the club. If he were to be honest with himself, he would probably realize it was because other than his friends, he had little to no interaction with the outside world. Between working and sleeping, Rui Hanazawa was left with precious little time to do much and far less interest to begin anything new. If he wasn't sleeping the world away or working for the family business then he was thinking about more unpleasant things that he would much rather forget. Thus he would appear at D.E.M. whenever he managed to be dragged out of bed by Tsukasa, Soujiro or Akira, which was turning out to be just about every night.

Remnants of the group they had been in their school years, the Flowery 4, better known as the F4, were lost somewhere between adolescence and adulthood. Beneath the neon lights of three words written in English, four men understood each other better than most people could imagine possible and remained together by bonds thicker than blood.

* * *

"Hello, this is Kazuya Aoike, how may I help you?" Said a youthful man with wavy short hair into the telephone receiver on his desk.

"Hey Kazuya." The familiar voice of Takeshi Saitono stretched across the phone lines clearly, "I wanted to ask you some questions about your friend Tsukushi Makino. It's kind of relevant to the background check we ran on her initially."

Kazuya straightened up in his chair a little and stopped checking the negatives of photos he was reviewing. It was very uncommon of Takeshi to ask questions of people after they had been hired. It was also never a very good thing. "Sure, shoot." He directed.

"Do you know if Tsukushi has had any connection to the Doumyoji name before working for us?" Takeshi's tone was light and casual with a question that was anything but light or casual.

"As far as I know, no. If you don't mind my curiosity, why do you ask?" Kazuya unconsciously started tapping his pen in a nervous habit.

"I'm afraid I really can't tell you Kazuya." Takeshi sighed. Sometimes he disliked his job more than he could say. "The higher-ups requested that I follow up on this one thing in her record is about all I can reveal to you. Has Tsukushi ever acted on any unhealthy impulses? Like revenge for instance?"

"No! Tsukushi would _never _take revenge on someone that didn't deserve it!" Kazuya blurted out without thinking. Quickly, he began to compose himself a little better. "I mean, that is, Tsukushi has never taken revenge on anyone for herself. For as long as I've known her, she's stood up for the people who weren't able to stand up for themselves. She'd never take revenge for herself because she believes she's able to bear it all without anyone's assistance."

A long pause followed, giving Kazuya's heart a chance to jump into his throat and make it difficult to breathe.

"Very well." Takeshi said as if he were checking off a list or perhaps taking notes of Kazuya's outburst. "Don't worry so much Kazuya, Tsukushi's not in any trouble. It's just something I have to check up on. Routine and all that."

"Nhhm." Kazuya uttered feebly with a noncommittal tone. Slowly his heart settled back in his chest and his breathing back into a regular rhythm. "You'll let me know if anything out of the ordinary shows up, right?"

"You know I can't do that Kazuya," Takeshi said sympathetically, "But don't worry. Everything seems okay for now just keep focused on your work….and for God's sake stop tapping that pen!"

"Y-y-yes sir!" Kazuya replied and hung up the phone like a diligent worker bee.

Although Kazuya had hung up the phone, Takeshi remained listening. Deciding he was not going to hear a response until he spoke, he decided to initiate the conversation.

"So you see, it doesn't seem the Makino girl is Hell bent on ruining the Doumyoji name, much less you." He said with a smoothness, uncharacteristic of his bar-side manner.

"So it would seem. Either way, I want a closer eye on her. Take a couple nights off Takeshi. Be sick, be on vacation, whatever. Just don't be here."

"Very well sir. I'll await your next call." This time it was Takeshi who hung up the phone respectfully and left the silence of an empty phone line in his wake.

Tsukasa Doumyoji was a careful man, unlike his impulsive younger self, he was sure to double check his surroundings lest he become a victim of his mother's underhanded ways again.

_Never again_. He thought to himself as he hung up the phone gently. _Never again_.

* * *

_CRASH!_

Another glass accidentally sent to a premature death by the petite, mousy brown haired girl who busily worked behind the bar counter. Surely they would call her 'Tsukushi the Glass Murderer', the Glass Murderer thought to herself. Normally the loud bass of the music would have covered up the glass breaking; normally Tsukushi wouldn't have been breaking glasses. Tonight however, was not like any of the other nights when she had worked at D.E.M. Tonight Tsukushi was under the watchful eye of Tsukasa Doumyoji due to the fact that Takeshi had mysteriously caught the latest stomach bug that was going around. He would be out for at least the next couple of days, possibly longer.

_Clink, clink...CRASH!_

For her sake, Tsukushi hoped it would be the former.

"Well that makes five glasses Ms. Makino. Only seven more and you'll have bought your own case." Tsukasa said derisively with an all-too-natural sneer. Tsukushi imagined that he may have been born with such a look of contempt as she cleaned up the two broken glasses scattered on the floor.

Sweeping what she could of the broken glass into her dustpan she made a mental note to clean under the webbed floor mat after work. "It's your fault I've broken so many already." She grumbled in an aside to herself; one she hoped he wouldn't hear.

"Oh is it? I fail to see how it's _my _fault that _you _keep breaking glasses."

No such luck.

She swore she heard his sneer turn into a sarcastic smirk, yet when she cut him a quick glance over her shoulder there was no trace he'd even spoken to her, much less changed expressions. Placing the hand broom and dustpan back to their rightful places she rubbed her hands against the towel she kept in her apron, which had become nervous habit by now, and took a deep breath. Maybe if she pretended she hadn't heard him she could keep any sarcastic retort from slipping from her mouth; or better yet, the truth from doing so.

In all honesty she found his presence highly annoying. Whenever he wasn't helping a customer or barking out orders over the phone, he was watching Tsukushi's every move like a hawk. From how he kept pointing out every error in her performance, Tsukushi guessed he took some sick satisfaction in it and faintly wondered if he was this meticulous within his normal department. Not three hours into the night and she had broken so many glasses already, it really would be a miracle if a whole case wasn't taken out of her pay by the end of the night. Putting on a pleasant smile for the bar patrons she began to take orders again, trying to ignore the continued scrutiny of her boss and her frazzled nerves.

Diligently they worked side by side, Tsukasa occasionally talking on the phone, giving orders to some of the security staff, while Tsukushi busied herself behind the bar taking orders and restocking or cleaning the amenities. In-between his actions of instructing her and giving orders over the phone, Tsukasa noted the distinct tension that had formed in her movement since the beginning of her shift. He was still suspicious of her. Even more so with the stiffness that belied her calm and seemingly want-to-be-pleasant exterior. He had never been fond of falsities.

One of the waitresses traipsed up to the bar, handing him a list of drinks to be made. What was her name again? He couldn't remember and couldn't really be bothered to look at her name tag so he simply nodded and set to making some of the requested drinks as she walked off, summoned by other clientage. Halfway through the motions of making a Cosmo-Martini, he decided to observe Tsukushi as she started to create a Mojito.

"What are you doing?" He asked half in alarm, half in skepticism, as he observed one of the strangest behaviors he had ever seen in a bartender.

Her arm held out over the glass with her face twisted away in the opposite direction, Tsukushi was squeezing one lime slice at a time, gingerly held between her index finger and thumb, with her eyes closed. Very odd indeed, Tsukasa thought as she squinted one eye open to look at him, all the while not deterring her from her task. "I'm squeezing a lime," she replied curtly, "What does it look like?"

The curly haired man could only blink as he started mixing another drink on the list. "It looks like you're afraid of the lime." What was wrong with this girl? "Either that or you're afraid of the glass." However if that were the case, he thought, the glass should be cowering from her instead since she had broken so many already earlier in the evening. Struggling to keep his attention in the here and now, he forced the comical images of Tsukushi brutalizing innocent glasses out of his head in time to hear her quip.

"It keeps the lime juice out of my eyes, okay?" She said a bit more testily than she would have liked. She wasn't sure if he was trying to be secretive about his surveillance but if he was, he wasn't very good at it.

An amused sound escaped from Tsukasa's lips as he placed the drink he had been creating aside. Almost patronizingly he said, "Well that's easy enough, just do this." Grabbing a few thin slices of lime he cupped them in his palm over a different glass, casually making sure the peels spooned into his curved hand, and squeezed with a rolling motion, tilting his hand only after he was done to let the excess juice roll off the side of his hand.

Tsukushi had to restrain another grumble from bursting through her lips at his pretentious manner. Not everybody had huge man-hands, especially not someone as petite as Tsukushi who barely managed to reach his chin when wearing heels. It wasn't that she was especially tiny, but in comparison to Tsukasa's freakish height anyone would feel small! "I'll try to keep that in mind." Tsukushi acknowledged him with a nod of her head, gritting her teeth but trying to relax her face, and turned back to her task at hand.

As another drop of the acidic juice made a jump for her eye, Tsukushi had the distinct feeling it was going to be a _long _night.


End file.
